50% workers close to ‘breaking point’

Depression causes patients to leave cardiac rehab

Sydney, Oct. 12: Anxiety and depression are common among participants in cardiac rehab programmes, and that poor mental health may cause them to drop out, a new study finds.

One in five patients in cardiac rehab after a heart attack or a procedure to open clogged coronary arteries may suffer from moderate to severe anxiety or depression, Australian researchers say.

And one in four of those with moderate depression, anxiety or stress symptoms may drop out of their cardiac rehabilitation programs, according to the report published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

“Health professionals need to provide extras support for those with co-morbid mental health symptoms to enable them to experience the full benefits of physical and mental health that cardiac rehabilitation programmes offer,” said lead researcher Angela Rao, a PhD candidate at the University of Technology in Sydney.

“Cardiac rehabilitation programmes do refer people to primary care for ongoing management if their psychological symptoms are severe or if people have mental health disorders. However, half of those with moderate symptoms remain depressed on completion of these programmes,” Rao said. London, Oct. 12: Nearly half of all employees are close to “breaking point” at work due to increased stress levels.

A survey of 2,000 professionals found the average working adult feels stressed for almost a third of their working day.

The pressures faced in their job also contributes to five hours of lost sleep per employee every week.

Checking work emails after hours, last-minute deadlines, having to do a speech or presentation and an overly demanding manager were named as some of the biggest causes of workplace stress.

It also emerged that in the average week, employees will complain about their boss for 31 minutes.

Richard Jenkins, psychologist and spokesman for wellbeing charity CABA, said: “Everyone will experience pressure day-to-day. A level of pressure can actually make us work better, however too much pressure that rises to an unmanageable level leads to stress.

“Public needs to know how to avoid reaching boiling point. Some people cope by blowing off steam through physical activity like the gym or going for a run, while for some things like breathing exercises can help.