The Link between Stress and Cardiac Outcomes in Firefighters

Heart disease (HD) is the leading cause of death and disability; in 2019, cardiovascular disease alone killed 18.6 million people worldwide. Stress is widely cited as a factor contributing to the development of HD and fatal cardiac events. Firefighters (FFs) may have an incremental risk of developing HD due to occupational stress, physical exertion, shift schedules, and toxic exposures. Past studies indicate that FFs have elevated cardiac …