To assess socio-occupational (SO) class differences in 8-year risk of all-cause and cardiovascular (CVD) death in an North Italian prospective epidemiological study, five cohorts (four population-based and one factory-based) were investigated at baseline from 1986 to 1995. Follow-up procedures allow to sensor 4339 35-74 years old men up to the end of 1998 for all-cause and cardiovascular deaths. Coronary risk factors were measures according to the standardised methods of MONICA Project. Five SO classes were identified according to the method proposed by Erikson, Golthorpe e Portocarero. Results shows an inverse associations between SO classes and death risk for all-cause and cancer. The higher SO classes showed higher risk of cardiovascular death risk. Possible explanations include high level of job stress among employed managers and professionals.