Divorcees more likely to die from a heart attack, study reveals

DIVORCE increases the risk of dying from cardiac problems, a study has found.

British research on almost one million patients found that divorced people who suffered a heart attack were far less likely than married counterparts to survive.

Those with a spouse had far higher survival rates than those who were single, the study found. But those who were divorced did worst of all – with death rates 16 per cent higher than among those who remained married, and seven per cent above those of other singletons.

Cardiac experts said those with a loving partner were likely to be encouraged to look after themselves, keeping fit, and taking daily medication.

Those who had gone through divorce were not only alone, and likely to be lacking such help, but suffering the “double hit” of coping with the stress of their marriage breakdown, they said.

The findings, presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress, in Barcelona, come from a 13 year study of NHS patients, carried out by Aston Medical School in Birmingham.

Around 200,000 people a year in the UK suffer a heart attack and 70,000 die.

Dr Rahul Potluri, senior author and founder of the school’s ACALM study unit, said: “Single people do worse than married people and divorcees do worst of all. One of the questions we are asking is why do divorced patients do so much worse? And that’s where psychosocial factors come in – the acute stress of divorce in particular.” Those who were married were more likely to be encouraged to “look after themselves” and to have someone to keep tabs on them, he said, checking on their diet, encouraging exercise and ensuring daily medication was taken.

“What happens with divorce is that someone who may have been compliant with their medication while they were married is suddenly under a lot of stress – as well as being on their own. They may find it difficult to look after themselves, they lose control of what’s going on – it’s a double hit,” he said.

Researchers said doctors should ask patients what help they had and try to ensure some support was offered.

Dr Potluri said: “Heart attacks are devastating events. It’s important that patients receive the necessary support to cope with them whether it’s from a spouse, friends, family or anyone they choose to involve in their care.

“Doctors need to treat patients in a holistic manner and encourage this as well as the use of support groups and rehabilitation courses.”

Dr Paul Carter, lead author, said: “Marriage, and having a spouse at home, is likely to offer emotional and physical support on a number of levels ranging from encouraging patients to live healthier lifestyles, helping them to cope with the condition and helping them to comply to their medical treatments.

“Our findings suggest that marriage is one way that patients can receive support to successfully control their risk factors for heart disease, and ultimately survive with them. The nature of a relationship is important, and there is a lot of evidence that stress and stressful life events, such as divorce, are linked to heart disease.”