Is Divorce Bad For The Heart?

A US-based study suggests that divorcees are more likely to have a heart attack than those who stay married.

18:50 15 April 2015

A US-based study that analysed 15,827 suggests that divorce is bad for the heart, with women being the worst affected. The study argued that chronic stress, that is linked to divorce, had a long-term impact on the body.

 

A team at Duke University has obtained the same findings. 

 

Based on the findings, women who divorced once were 24per cent more likely to have a heart attack while those who were divorced multiple times have 77per cent of having the condition. The numbers for men are significantly lower; 10per cent extra risk for one divorce and 30per cent increase risk after multiple divorces. 

 

One of the researchers Prof Linda George said: "This risk is comparable to that of high blood pressure or if you have diabetes, so it's right up there, it is pretty big."

When it came to remarriage, the risk was only marginally reduced for women while men bounced back.

 

"We joke around here and call it the 'any-women-will-do orientation' for men.

 

"They're more comfortable being married than not married and cope with different women being their spouses.

 

"First marriages are protective for women and it's a little dicey after that."