The decision of whether or not to be married is a deeply personal one, but recent research suggests that there may be major cognitive ramifications for many who choose not to say their vows (or cannot do so).

This is the first study to demonstrate a relationship between being married and dying from any cause and heart disease in a cohort of high-risk heart patients.

Unmarried heart disease patients had a greater risk of dying than married heart disease patients, says a recent study published in the journal AHA.

Divorced people are at an elevated risk of death in general, according to scientists.

In individuals with suspected or confirmed coronary artery disease, few studies have examined the link between poor cardiovascular outcomes and marital status.

The research of 6,051 individuals (average age 63, 23% black) having cardiac catheterization for coronary artery disease is the first to demonstrate worse outcomes among those who were divorced, separated, widowed, or never married.

For 3.7 years, patients were monitored. When compared to married patients, researchers discovered that being single was linked to:

• 24% higher risk of death from any cause;
• 45% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease; and
• 52% higher risk of cardiovascular death/heart attack.

In particular, the risk of cardiovascular death/heart attack was:

• 40% higher for those who were never married;
• 41% higher for those who were divorced or separated; and
• 71% higher for those who had been widowed.

During the study’s follow-up, 1,085 deaths were reported (including 688 cardiovascular deaths and 272 heart attacks).

Arshed Quyyumi, lead researcher “was somewhat surprised by the magnitude of the influence of being married has (on heart patients).

“Social support provided by marriage, and perhaps many other benefits of companionship, are important for people with heart disease.”

When compared to married patients, unmarried patients were more likely to be female and black, have hypertension, heart failure, or high cholesterol, and be smokers.

Researchers believe that marital status should be taken into account when treating individuals with coronary artery disease. Future research should examine the psychological disorders associated with being unmarried, as well as potentially more vigorous follow-up and therapy.

This study excluded patients with serious heart valve damage, anemia, congenital heart disease, malignancy, or active inflammatory disease. Self-administered questionnaires were used to establish marital status. For this study, divorced and separated adults were grouped together. To detect negative outcomes, telephone interviews and medical chart abstracts were employed.

Researchers say that the study should be taken with a grain of salt because it is a retrospective analysis done at a single institution and there was no follow-up to see if people stayed married. The findings aren’t applicable to people who don’t have cardiovascular disease. In addition, cohabitation was not taken into account in the research.

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