Employment status and risk factors for ischaemic heart disease: The Caerphilly Study

Levels of risk factors for ischaemic heart disease (IHD)were compared in employed men, and in men who were not employed at the time of examination. The men were aged 45-59 years and were participants in the Caerphilly Heart Disease Study. In order to minimize the effet of IHD on employment status, only men who were either free of IHD or had evidence of asymptomatic disease were included in the analysis. Data from 2031 men were available of whom 1712 were employed. Of men who were not in employment, 52% were current cigarette smokers compared with 42% of employed men, and a lower proportion (10%)of men not employed had never smoked (18% 0f employed men), the employed men were 2cm taller but the groups had identical body mass corrected for height (BMI), and only very small differences were found in blood pressure and blood lipids.Differnces in some of the haemostatic factors were large suggesting that "not employed" men may have a higher risk of thrombosis. These differences were not removed by controlling for the effects of social class, age, height and smoking habit