[Effect of resuming occupational work after myocardial infarction on recurrence and mortality]

Abstract

The effect of resuming occupational work on the mortality and the frequency of infarction recurrence was studied in a group of 771 patients with a history of at least one myocardial infarction. The group of 216 patients who resumed occupational work in industry or administration were compared with 280 patients remaining without occupation, and another comparison was done between 170 patients working and living in towns and 131 working on farms. The material was divided also according to prognostic groups: good, moderately good and poor. All patients were aged over 60 years. The follow-up was 2 to 10 years. A beneficial effect was found of continuation of occupational work, with the exception of heavy physical work, after infarction in the first 3 years.