Loneliness is bad for the heart and is a predictor of premature death, according to the results of a study presented at EuroHeartCare 2018, the annual nursing congress of the European Society of Cardiology.
“Loneliness is more common now than ever, and more people are living alone,” said study author and PhD student Anne Vinggaard Christensen, The Heart Centre, University Hospital Copenhagen, Denmark. “Previous research has shown that loneliness and social isolation are linked to coronary heart disease and stroke, but this has not been studied in patients with different types of cardiovascular illnesses.”
Researchers from the Heart Centre, University Hospital Copenhagen, Denmark examined whether loneliness was associated with worse health outcomes in 13,463 patients with ischemic heart disease, arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm),heart failure or of valve disease.
Social support was measured using life register data and survey questions about feelings of loneliness – Do you have someone to talk to when you need them? Do you feel lonely sometimes even though you want to be with someone? “It was important to gather information on both, as people can live alone but not feel lonely while others live together but feel lonely,” Ms Vinggaard Christensen explained.
Loneliness, a risk factor for early mortality
The study results showed that feeling lonely was associated with poor outcomes in all patients, regardless of their type of cardiac disease, and even after adjusting for age, level of education, other diseases, body mass index, smoking and alcohol consumption. Loneliness was associated with a doubled mortality risk in women and men. Men and women who felt lonely were three times more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression, and had a significantly lower quality of life than those who did not feel alone.
“Loneliness is a high risk factor for premature death, poor mental health and quality of life in patients with cardiovascular disease,” said Ms. Vinggaard Christensen.
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