OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISKS AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS – EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF HOSPITAL-BASED CHEMICAL EXPOSURE ON HEART HEALTH

Background: Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in healthcare settings poses a significant, yet often underrecognized, threat to cardiovascular health. Despite increasing global attention to occupational health, evidence linking chemical exposure to cardiovascular risk among healthcare professionals remains limited, particularly in resource-constrained countries. Objective: To evaluate the impact of hospital-based chemical exposure on cardiovascular risk among healthcare workers in tertiary care hospitals in Punjab, Pakistan. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted over eight months (July 2024 to February 2025) in tertiary care hospitals located in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and Multan. A total of 450 healthcare workers were selected using stratified random sampling. Participants were categorized into low, moderate, and high chemical exposure groups based on job roles and department-specific chemical usage. Cardiovascular risk was assessed using the Framingham Risk Score (FRS), blood pressure measurements, lipid profiles, fasting glucose, and ECG evaluations. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. One-way ANOVA and multivariate regression were applied to determine associations between exposure levels and cardiovascular risk markers. Results: FRS scores increased with exposure level, from 6.8 ± 2.1 in the low group to 12.3 ± 3.5 in the high exposure group (p < 0.001). Significant elevations in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and fasting glucose were observed in high exposure participants. Multivariate analysis confirmed chemical exposure as an independent predictor of elevated cardiovascular risk (β = 0.37, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Healthcare workers exposed to hospital-based chemicals are at a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease. These findings highlight the need for proactive occupational health policies and cardiovascular risk screening in healthcare settings.