REVIEW PAPER
Prevention and management of work-related cardiovascular disorders
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Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Japan
(Department of Public Health)
Corresponding author
Akizumi Tsutsumi
Kitasato University School of Medicine, Department of Public Health, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374,
Japan
Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2015;28(1):4-7
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ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular disorders (CVDs) constitute a major burden for health of working populations throughout the world with
as much as 50% of all causes of death and at least 25% of work disability. There are some changes in CVD risk factors
among occupational classes. This is mainly due to the new types of work-related causes of morbidity associated with the
recent developments in global work life, particularly in the industrialized countries. Meanwhile, in the developing countries
or those in transition (e.g., in Eastern Europe), CVD mortality is increasing due to major socioeconomic changes, the
demographic transition and rapid industrialisation and urbanisation, all leading to growing challenges to cardiovascular
health. Better control of known risk factors (i.e., smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure,
and high blood glucose) is effective to prevent CVD incidence. But the expected improvement has not been achieved.
The obstacles of achieving such impact are due to lack of awareness, lack of policies and their implementation into practice
and shortage of infrastructures and human resources. These are needed for wide-scale and long-term programme implementation.
Considering the WHO Global Strategy on Occupational Health for All, the WHO Global Action Plan on
Workers’ Health, the WHO Programme on Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases and the ILO Decent Work agenda,
the 6th ICOH International Conference on Work Environment and Cardiovascular Diseases adopted the Tokyo Declaration.