[Observations on the course of borderline hypertension in workers in ore mining with variable occupational body burden].

The blood pressure response of 198 ore miners--working above ground as well as underground--suffering from borderline-hypertension was checked over a period of 5 years. After a period of 5 years 40.9% of the test persons developed a hypertension in 18.7% of the miners the blood pressure returned to normal and with 40.4% it remained within the limits. No statistically significant relationship could be established between the blood pressure response and the various work loads such as the complex work load on face workers, work above ground and underground, shift work, the total time away from home, physically heavy work as well as exposure of the body or part of it to vibrations. Since the individual risk of developing hypertension, particularly with regard to people affected by borderline-hypertension, cannot be predicted the factory doctor has to provide for the adequate health care the group in question.