Your risk of suffering a heart attack rises if you’re single, according to a Finnish study. The research revealed that unmarried men and women are almost a third more likely to die of a heart attack than married men and women.
There have been past studies that suggest single people or those who live alone are more at risk of developing cardiovascular disease or of suffering a heart-related death. On the other hand, other research shows that those in unhappy marriages, especially women, face a higher chance of having heart problems.
The Finnish study, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, analysed the data of every person over the age of 35 who was included on the FINAMI myocardial infarction register from 1993 until 2002, during which time more than 15,000 cardiac events had been recorded.
The study concluded that unmarried men were 58-66% more likely to suffer a cardiac event than married men. For single women, the figures were 60-65% higher than for married women. If you’re single, you are also more likely to die within 28 days of a heart attack than married people.
There are several possible explanations for these differences, according to the research team. They suggest that married people may enjoy better general health because being in a relationship gives them greater support and makes them financially more secure than singletons. When you have a partner, you are more likely to seek medical help for any problems and more likely to stick to a health regime or take prescription medication with a partner there to encourage you.
The study did, however, conclude that there is also the possibility that those who have poor health and are at risk of heart disease may be more inclined to be single or divorced.
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