(November 25, 2008 - Insidermedicine) From Rio de Janeiro - According to research in the Archives of Internal Medicine, continuous blood pressure monitoring is more effective than office-based measurement. In a study of over 550 patients, researchers found that continuous, 24-hour blood pressure monitoring was able to significantly predict cardiovascular events, while office-based measurement was not. The researchers suggest that elevated nighttime pressures may be particularly damaging.

From Sweden - According to research in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases may be created by a stressful office environment. In a study of over 3,200 employees, those who rated their manager's leadership skills as being poor had a 24% increased risk of ischemic cardiovascular events after just one year of work. After 4 years in the same stressful environment employees had a 39% increased risk.

And finally, from Boston - According to another study in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, exposure to diesel exhaust is linked to an increased risk of death from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Of 30,000 railroad workers studied since 1945, researchers found that over 1,200 of those exposed to diesel exhaust died of COPD, compared to 464 who were not exposed. Overall, exposed workers had a 2.1% increased risk of death from COPD for each year worked.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.