Abstract
In Japan, the number of working population is progressively decreasing due to low birth rate. The people, therefore, must work longer until older age to maintain working power. Cardiovascular risks increase with age. On the one hand, the highly developed society may pose several kinds of work stress. To prevent work.related cardiovascularevents of elderly workers, both cardiovascular risks and work stress should be carefully managed. Hypertension is a most important risk factor for brain and heart disease in Japan. In 2010, the prevalence of hypertension in the population of 30s or over was 60% in men and 45% in women. However, the well.controlled percentage of blood pressure still remains 30% in male and 40% in female, respectively. Many studies have reported that job stress is associated not only with cardiovascular risks but also with the onset of brain or heart diseases. Long working hours have been reported to increase cardiovascular risks but this association may be buffered by high level of job control and job satisfaction. Blood pressure responses to stress may be enhanced with aging due to several reasons like arterial remodeling, arterial stiffening and volume retention. To prevent work.related cardiovascular events in the elderly population, we must carefully manage both cardiovascular risks and work stress.
