Stressors and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in Police Officers
By examining physiological and psychological measures of stress in police officers, researchers will be able to evaluate potential associations of these measures with early signs of cardiovascular and metabolic disease.
Title: Microvascular Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
Principal Investigator: John Violanti, PhD
Co-investigator: Amy Millen, PhD
Funding Agency: National Institute Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Period: 08/01/12 - 07/31/16
Abstract: The study will investigate cross-sectional associations between occupational stressors and promising biomarkers that may reflect adverse micro-vascular changes, as well as the potential role of inflammation, insulin resistance, and serum vitamin D levels in micro-vascular subclinical cardiovascular disease.
Markers of disease include blood pressure; laboratory measurement of lipids, glucose and insulin; and variability of heart rate to assess autonomic nervous-system function. Researchers will conduct ultrasound imaging studies to measure carotid-artery wall thickness, which indicates the risk of atherosclerosis, and reactivity in the brachial artery, the major blood vessel of the upper arm, to determine blood-vessel function.
