People are at a higher risk of heart attack and stroke during the first few weeks of their partner's death, according to a St George's, University of London study.
Researchers said that bereavement stress causes loss of sleep and appetite in surviving partners. They also often ignore their health problems in the first few months since their partner's death. They added that sudden short-term interruption of medication, food and sleep can aggravate underlying medical conditions and lead to increased risk of cardiovascular events.
"There is evidence, from other studies, that the bereavement and grief lead to a range of adverse physiological responses including changes in blood clotting, blood pressure, stress hormone levels and heart rate control," Sunil Shah, lead researcher, said. "All these will plausibly contribute to an increased risk of events such as heart attacks and stroke after loss of a partner," NBC News reports.
Shah said that doctors, family and friends should be aware of the consequences of bereavement stress and should try to support and care for the affected person before and after the loss of their loved one.
For the study, the researchers compared the medical conditions of 30,000 bereaved people aged 60 to 89 with 84,000 individuals whose partners were still alive. The researchers found that 0.16 per cent of the people belonging to the first group suffered heart attacks or strokes within 30 days of their partner's death when compared to 0.08 per cent in the second group.
"We have described a marked increase in cardiovascular risk in the month after spousal bereavement, which seems likely to be the result of adverse physiological responses associated with acute grief. A better understanding of psychosocial factors associated with acute cardiovascular events may provide opportunities for prevention and improved clinical care," the researchers said in a press release.
The finding is published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
