The influence of occupational stress on lipid status of road traffic professional vehicle drivers

Introduction. Professional stress can damage all organs and systems of exposed workers. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of occupational stress on lipid state of exposed professional drivers in road traffic. Material and methods. The atherogenic risk in vehicle drivers professionally exposed to stress was assessed by measuring total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. The examination included a group of 200 vehicle drivers professionally exposed to stress. The occupational stress index was calculated using the standardized questionnaire authorized by Karen Belkic. Serum lipid parameters were examined by standard methods. Results All lipid parameters increased with the occupational stress index values. Atherogenic risk increased with the values of occupational stress index too. Workers exposed to occupational stress index over the 90 were at the highest atherogenic risk. Conclusion. The highest occupational stress index and the highest values of total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol were recorded in professional bus drivers at inter urban traffic.