Workers exposed to asbestos are at a greater risk of heart disease and stroke
Newly published research has found that those who work around asbestos are at a significantly higher risk of heart disease and stroke than the general public, with women who are exposed to asbestos being more vulnerable to these diseases than men, reveals asbestos removal experts Senergi (http://www.senergi.co.uk).
Scientists analysed the cause of death among 100,000 asbestos workers who were taking part in health monitoring and who were questioned on their levels of exposure for the Asbestos Workers Survey. There was a mix of both men and women surveyed, with most men working in asbestos removal and most women working in manufacturing. At the time of their first medical examination, 58% of the men and 52% of the women were smokers, falling to just 55% of the men and 49% of the women being smokers at the time of the final medical examination.
Researchers of the asbestos survey looked at the number of deaths among the group from stroke and heart attacks between 1971 and 2005 and compared this with the number that would be expected to die from these conditions in the general population. They found that 15,557 people died from ‘all causes’, while 1,000 deaths were from stroke and 4,000 deaths were from heart disease. The findings were that, based on standard mortality rates in the general public, asbestos workers were significantly more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than the general population even when taking into account smoking. There was also some evidence that the longer someone was exposed to asbestos, the greater their chances of dying from heart disease (again, after taking account of smoking).
The study, which was led by the Mathematical Sciences Unit at the Health and Safety Laboratory in Buxton, Derbyshire, found that male asbestos workers were 63% more likely to die of a stroke and 39% more likely to die of heart disease, while women asbestos workers were 100% more likely to die of a stroke and 89% more likely to die of heart disease.
This is the latest in a series of asbestos surveys which backs up previous research linking increased mortality rates with asbestos exposure. To find out more about asbestos abatement, testing and analysis, and to keep up with asbestos-related news, visit the Senergi website at http://www.senergi.co.uk.
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