Why marriage reduces risk of heart disease

Researchers say doctors should factor in
patients’ marital status when making cardiac assessments

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The report, published in the European Heart Journal, used data from 34
previous studies published between 1963 and 2015, and involved more
than two million people aged between 42 and 77 from Europe,
Scandinavia, North America, the Middle East, and Asia.

The researchers found that, compared with married people, adults
who were “divorced, widowed or never married” were 42% more likely
to develop cardiovascular disease, and 16% more likely to develop
coronary artery disease.

Unmarried people were also 43% more likely to die from heart
disease, and 55% more likely to die from strokes.

The report says the findings are so significant that a patient’s
marital status should be regarded as a significant risk factor,
like blood pressure or smoking, the Daily Mail reports.

Senior report author Mamas Mamas, professor of cardiology at
Keele University and a consultant cardiologist at the Royal Stoke
Hospital, believes there may be a variety of explanations for the
trend. “Being married makes people more likely to seek medical
help,” he says. “Often, particularly men say, ‘I noticed symptoms
in my chest but I wasn’t going to come – my wife made me.’”

Patients are also more likely to take their medication if they
are married, possibly because their spouse reminds them, Mamas
adds.

He continues: “In medicine, we ask about marital status as
a matter of course, but we don’t really think about it as a risk
factor.

“What this study shows is that medics should think about what
additional risk this gives the patient both in developing their
first heart attack or stroke, or having better long-term
outcomes.”

Regardless of marital status, people can reduce their risk by
leading a healthy lifestyle, not smoking and getting regular
physical checks. Exercise is important, too.

“I often advise couples to exercise together because they are
more likely to stick with it,” Mamas says. “Go to the gym together,
run together or cycle together – doing activities together
strengthens the relationship and improves both partners’
cardiovascular health.”