People in happy marriages are more likely to have a healthy heart, according to a recent study.

Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that in addition to a "skillful surgeon and a nursing staff," love and companionship is just as important, if not more, for patients who have undergone cardiac surgery, ABC News reported. They found that patients who are divorced, separated or widowed had an approximately 40 percent greater chance of dying or developing a new functional disability in the first two years following cardiac surgery than their married peers

"While it has been established that the chances of survival following major surgery may be better among married versus unmarried persons, it is not known how marriage 'marries' with actual postoperative function," study co-author Mark Neuman said in a statement. "Understanding this may be useful for identifying patients who may be in need of additional support and targeted interventions aimed at improving functional recovery."

For the study, researchers collected and analyzed data from more than 1,500 adults age 50 years and older who have undergone interviews every two years since 1998 about their health, functioning, medical care, and family structure, Medical Daily reported.They collected demographic information including marital status, age, sex and comorbidities at enrollment and in the last interview before surgery. In addition, they collected information on preoperative dependence in six activities of daily living: dressing, movement ability, bathing, eating, toileting and getting in and out of bed.

They found that at the time of baseline interview, 65 percent were married 12 percent were divorced or separated, 21 percent were widowed and two percent were never married. At their post-surgery interview, 19 percent of the married participants, 29 percent of the divorced or separated subjects, 39 percent of the widowed and 20 percent of those who had never been married had either died or developed a new disability.

Compared with subjects who were married at baseline, the odds for death or a new functional disability during the first two years following cardiac surgery were 40 percent greater among those who are divorced, separated or widowed, the researchers found.

Neuman and Werner believe that this may related to the social supports in influencing patients' choice of hospitals and their self-care.

The findings are detailed in the journal JAMA Surgery.