Micromanaged workers at ‘higher risk of heart attacks’

People with bosses who micromanage them are at higher risk of heart attacks and strokes, according to research.

Among employees most likely to develop cardiovascular problems, the risk fell to that of someone ten years younger after managers were trained to give them more control over their time and tasks.

Researchers from Harvard and Penn State universities, in America, looked at 1,500 employees at an IT company and a long-term care provider.

Details of employees’ blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels were combined with data such as height, weight and tobacco use to calculate a “cardiometabolic risk score”. A higher score equates to a greater chance of developing cardiovascular disease, such as heart attacks or strokes, within a decade.

Managers took part in a