Shift work, occupational noise and physical workload with ensuing development of blood pressure and their joint effect on the risk of coronary heart disease.

Objectives: The change in systolic blood pressure (SBP) over an 8-year period was explored in groups defined according to exposure to shift work, occupational noise, and physical workload. The impact of baseline SBP and its increase in relation to coronary heart disease (CHD) risk due to these exposures was also studied.

Methods: The study cohorts (N=1288 for CHD follow-up, N=884 for SBP follow-up) consisted of industrially employed middle-aged men from the Helsinki Heart Study.