Researchers on Friday revealed that working 55 hours or more per week, might be associated with greater risk of stroke and developing coronary heart disease, compared with working a standard 35 to 40 hours.

The study led by researchers from University College London, was published in the journal The Lancet.

Prof. Mika Kivimaki, who led the study, said they did a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished individual-level data examining the effects of longer working hours on cardiovascular disease.

He said the analysis of data from 25 studies involving 603,838 men and women from Europe, U.S. and Australia, were followed for an average of eight and a half years.

Kivimaki said in the final analysis they found a 13 per cent increased risk of incident coronary heart disease, in people working 55 hours, or more per week, compared with those putting in a normal 35 to 40 hour week.

He said further that there was another analysis of data from 17 studies involving 528,908 men and women who were followed up for an average of 7.2 years.

Kivimaki said in this researchers found a 1.3 times higher risk of stroke in individuals working 55 hours or more a week compared with those working standard hours.

He said most importantly, the researchers found that the longer people worked, the higher their chances of a stroke.

READ MORE: http://www.greatloaded.net/working-long-hours-may-increase-stroke-risk-researchers-2/