[Collaboration between the cardiologist and the occupational health physician needed for formulating the etiological diagnosis and the job fitness evaluation].

Background: The cardiovascular system can be the target organ of various occupational risk factors. Moreover, cardiovascular diseases of non-occupational origin may be aggravated and/or triggered by working activity.
Objectives: To review the importance of cooperation between cardiologists and occupational health physicians, both in making an aetiological diagnosis and in job fitness evaluation.
Methods: A review of the literature was carried out.
Results and Conclusions: An early aetiological diagnosis allows therapy to be started, timely transfer of workers from the jobs involving risk and application for insurance compensation commensurate with the degree of impairment. The identification of a single worker with occupational cardiovascular disease may represent a "sentinel event" which will permit identification of other workers at risk and other subjects with occupational diseases. Specific job fitness assessment is the final act of risk evaluation and health surveillance. The principal aim is to protect the physical and psychological health status of the worker in relation to his job and to employ him in a job that takes account of his skills. A correct specific job fitness assessment is particularly important when the cardiologist and the occupational health physician work in close cooperation in the rehabilitation and occupational reintegration of the cardiopathic worker.