A European study found that people who are exposed to bullying or violence in their work may be more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those who do not.
The researchers looked at more than 79,000 men and women working between the ages of 19 and 65 with no history of heart disease.
Overall, about 9 percent said they had been bullied, and 13 percent said they had been subjected to violence during the previous year.
After a 12-year follow-up on average, 3229 people, or about 4 percent of those, had heart disease or were hospitalized for related problems, such as a heart attack or stroke.
The study found that people who are bullying at work are 59 percent more likely to have heart disease or hospital admission due to heart attacks or stroke than those who do not bully.
It also found that workers exposed to violence had a 25 percent higher risk of heart disease or hospitalization for heart problems.
The researchers wrote in the European Heart Journal that difficult working conditions, including stress and long working hours, are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
But research has not yet provided a clear picture of the role that exposure to bullying and violence may play in the workplace.
Stress, such as bullying and violence, may also contribute to mood disorders, such as anxiety or depression, or promote unhealthy behaviors such as smoking or over-eating, the researchers note.
Most cases of bullying are co-workers, heads or subordinates. The perpetrators of physical violence are mostly clients or persons who receive service from the employee.
