New research suggests that having a high sense of purpose in life may lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Researchers at Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai Roosevelt found that a high sense of purpose, which they defined as a sense of meaning and direction, and a feeling that life is worth living, is associated with a 23 percent reduction in death from all causes and a 19 percent reduced risk of heart attack, stroke, or the need for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) or a cardiac stenting procedure.

"Developing and refining your sense of purpose could protect your heart health and potentially save your life," Randy Cohen, lead author of the study, said in a statement. "Our study shows there is a strong relationship between having a sense of purpose in life and protection from dying or having a cardiovascular event."

For the study, researchers reviewed 10 relevant studies with the data of more than 137,000 people to analyze the impact of sense of purpose on death rates and risk of cardiovascular events. The meta-analysis also found that those with a low sense of purpose are more likely to die or experience cardiovascular events.

"Prior studies have linked a variety of psychosocial risk factors to heart disease, including negative factors such as anxiety and depression and positive factors such as optimism and social support," Alan Rozanski, study co-author and director of Wellness and Prevention Programs for Mount Sinai Heart at the Mount Sinai Health System, said in a statement. "Based on our findings, future research should now further assess the importance of life purpose as a determinant of health and well-being and assess the impact of strategies designed to improve individuals' sense of life purpose."

The findings were presented at the American Heart Association's EPI/Lifestyle 2015 Scientific Sessions in Baltimore.