A happy marriage enhances heart’s health, study reveals
A good relationship with a spouse helps heart attack patients recover faster, according to a new study.
Yale University research shows spouses with loving and supportive partners are at less risk of being readmitted to hospital after suffering a heart attack.
In contrast, a stressful relationship with a spouse increases the risk of readmission to hospital or chest pain.
Research has found that a stressful relationship with a spouse may be more dangerous for women’s heart health than men.
“Financial and employment stress, as well as marital problems, also increase the risk of heart disease,” the researchers said.
Previous research reports have found that psychological and social stress make heart disease patients less likely to recover, but not much work has been done on spousal relationships.
This new research supports the idea that being married or partnered is linked with a better health and heart disease prognosis.
The study included 1,593 people who had suffered a heart attack.
During the study, each individual’s physical health, mental health and stress levels were assessed.
The results showed that a stressful relationship with a spouse increased the risk of chest pain for patients by 67 percent, while 50 percent had to be re-hospitalized.
On the 12-point scale, those suffering severe marital stress scored 1.6 points lower in physical health on average, 2.6 lower in mental health, and five points lower in overall quality of life.
“The findings suggest that stress in everyday life can have a negative impact on recovery from heart disease,” the researchers said.
