A broken heart can really kill you

BEREAVEMENT has long been known as a risk factor for death, and experts studying its impact on people’s health have found that the chances of a heart or stroke attack doubles after a partner’s death.

The study*, published online this week in JAMA Internal Medicine, showed the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke doubled in the crucial 30-day period after a partner’s death for those experiencing loss of a loved one.

Dr Sunil Shah, senior lecturer in public health at St George's University of London and a co-author of the report, said: “We often use the term a ‘broken heart’ to signify the pain of losing a loved one and our study shows that bereavement can have a direct effect on the health of the heart.”

A comparison of the rate of heart attack or stroke in older patients (aged 60 and over) whose partner died to those whose partners were still alive during the same period found that 16 per 10,000 of patients studied experienced heart attacks or strokes within 30 days of their partner’s death compared with 8 per 10,000 the normal population.

However, this increased risk in bereaved men and women started to reduce after 30 days.

“There is evidence, from other studies, that bereavement and grief lead to a range of adverse responses including changes in blood clotting, blood pressure, stress hormone levels and heart rate control,” Dr Shah said.

Grief leads to extra physical stress and also may make people forget or lose interest in taking their medication. Another study found that in the first few months after bereavement, individuals may not consistently take their regular preventive medication, such as cholesterol-lowering drugs or aspirin.

“All these will contribute to an increased risk of events such as heart attacks and stroke after loss of a partner,” he said. “Sudden short-term interruption of such regular medication may also contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular events."

The marked increase in heart attack or stroke risk in the month after a person’s partner dies seems likely to be the result of adverse physiological responses associated with acute grief, said Dr Iain Carey, a senior research fellow at St George’s University of London and study co-author.

“A better understanding of psychological and social factors associated with acute cardiovascular events may provide opportunities for prevention and improved clinical care,” Dr Carey said.

Doctors, friends and family aware of this increase risk of heart attacks and strokes can ensure that care and support is as good as possible at a time of increased vulnerability before and after loss of a loved one.