Chronic Police Stress and Heart Disease

by John M. Violanti, PhD

Chronic stress can result in frequent or persistent challenges to many of the bodily systems that regulate cardiovascular and immune functions. Police work is an environment replete with stress. This study, recently published in Psychiatry Research, looked at the dysregulation of a hormone secreted during the stress response (cortisol) and its effect on artery health in police officers. A “healthy” artery will expand rapidly and fully after it is occluded. We tested police artery health by first blocking off the brachial artery (located in the arm) with a pressure cuff and then releasing it. By using ultrasound, we could then measure how much the artery expanded after the cuff was released. The more the artery expanded the healthier is was.  In addition we also measured cortisol secretion at awakening in the morning.  We then looked at the relationship between dysregulated cortisol patterns and artery expansion. The results suggested that dysregulation of cortisol due to the chronic stress experienced by police officers decreased the ability of the arteries to expand properly. This was especially true in women officers. Age, smoking, and alcohol consumption did not affect this result. In sum, what this study indicates is that stress can compromise the cardiovascular system in police officers, leading to an increased risk for heart disease.

The complete study can be found in the journal Psychiatric Research at http://www.elsevier.com