At rest, the heart beats about 100,000 times a day. Anyone who is depressed, afraid or stressed weakens their heart. A study shows that this is often the case and is therefore an underestimated problem.
Magdeburg/Berlin (dpa/sa) – In Saxony-Anhalt, one or every sixth employee has at least one psychological risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. These are mainly depression, anxiety or negative stress, as a study by DAK-Gesundheit based on their 2022 health report shows. Extrapolated to the employed population, there are around 168,000 people between Arendsee and Zeitz who went through life with an increased risk of heart attack. Those affected often have to struggle with high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels and smoke more often.
The role of stress and mental illness as a risk for heart attacks is often underestimated, it said. According to the DAK, more than 13,400 people in Saxony-Anhalt die of cardiovascular disease every year.
According to the health insurance company, absenteeism due to mental illness has been increasing for years – by 58 percent from 2011 to 2021. Older workers are more likely to be absent from work due to cardiovascular diseases, and more men than women are affected.
“There is a striking interaction between the psyche and the heart,” said Steffen Meyrich, country head of DAK-Gesundheit, according to the announcement. “Depression and negative stress are already a great burden in themselves. But they also literally go to the heart.” According to Meyrich, companies have a duty to keep an eye on stress, strain and the mental and physical health of their employees and to protect them. Offers of workplace health promotion must be taken more seriously, he said.
According to the health insurance company, the IGES Institute evaluated the data of around 53,000 employed DAK insured persons for the DAK health report. In addition, the Forsa Institute for DAK health surveyed 200 employees in Saxony-Anhalt.
