This piece may just give you peace and save you some heart stress. Being hitched has its merits. Apart from the companionship and economic advantages it would seem there are health ones as well.
A study by Emory University, USA researchers have found that single heart disease patients faced a higher risk of death.
Compared to heart disease patients who were married or in longterm relationship, single heart patients were found to suffer debilitating effects. Most of them fatal, said the study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
“I was somewhat surprised by the magnitude of the influence of being married has (on heart patients),” said lead researcher Arshed Quyyumi, Professor of Medicine at Emory University in Atlanta, US.
“Social support provided by marriage, and perhaps many other benefits of companionship, are important for people with heart disease,” Quyyumi said.
The study included 6,051 patients (average age 63). Each patient undergoing cardiac catheteristion for coronary artery disease showed poor outcomes specifically among those who were divorced, separated, widowed or never married.
The researchers followed the patients for nearly four years.
The findings showed that compared to married patients, being single or unmarried was associated with a 24% higher risk of death from any cause and 45% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
And specifically, the risk of heart attack was 40% higher for those who were never married, the study said.
So now you know. If you ever thought being a lone wolf was the life for you then you should probably reconsider finding your own pack. It just might save you from heart stress.
Photo Credit: Pichastock/ Rushay Booysen
