Don't knock your friends: they could save your life.
Posted on 2004-04-16 11:16:00 in
Cardio-Vascular |
Heart attack survivors with a close friend, relative or lover to confide in are half as likely to suffer further heart attacks within a year as patients without a shoulder to cry on, a study shows.
The study, published this week in the British Medical Association's journal Heart, tracked nearly 600 patients for a year after they had a heart attack.
"Patients with a close confidant had only half the risk of a further cardiac event of those without a confidant," the study said, adding that the finding held even when adjustments were made for a host of other heart disease risk factors.
Those without a close relationship were more likely to drink heavily, smoke and use illicit drugs. But those factors alone did not explain their increased risk of additional heart attacks within a year, the study found.
The scientists said they still do not know why having a confidant helps keep a second heart attack at bay, but one possibility is that a close friend or partner may make sure a patient seeks treatment early and sticks to it.
The study, published this week in the British Medical Association's journal Heart, tracked nearly 600 patients for a year after they had a heart attack.
"Patients with a close confidant had only half the risk of a further cardiac event of those without a confidant," the study said, adding that the finding held even when adjustments were made for a host of other heart disease risk factors.
Those without a close relationship were more likely to drink heavily, smoke and use illicit drugs. But those factors alone did not explain their increased risk of additional heart attacks within a year, the study found.
The scientists said they still do not know why having a confidant helps keep a second heart attack at bay, but one possibility is that a close friend or partner may make sure a patient seeks treatment early and sticks to it.
Health Headlines MORE »
For every 10 g per day increase in soluble fiber intake, a woman may reduce her risk of breast cancer by up to 26%.
Peptides from soybeans modulate neurotransmitters, thereby helping to boost circulation in the brain.
Capsaicin (found in hot peppers) and capsiates (present in sweet peppers) exert modest weight management benefits.
While over 20% of U.S. adults receive periodic health examinations each year, many do not receive recommended preventive screening tests and counseling services
Researchers from Norway suggest a mechanism by which stress may make a person fat, and being obese may create stress.
Swedish researchers report that people who are short on sleep experience greater levels of hunger.
Among women with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), regular physical activity helps to reduce anxiety, irritability, feelings of tension, low energy and pain.
For every 100 mg per-day increase in magnesium in the diet, stroke risk may decline by up to 9%.
The best male marathon runners over age 65, and the best female marathon runners over age 45, continue to consistently improve their performance.
UCLA-led team safely uses human embryonic stem cells to treat macular degeneration.
ANTI-AGING TIP OF THE DAY
In Working Order
Men and women who stay mentally engaged in their original occupational field fare after retirement fare best mentally. University of Maryland (Maryland, USA) researchers studied 12,189 retired men and women, ages 51 to 61 years at the beginning of the study. The team revealed that those retirees who continued to work in a bridge job experienced fewer major diseases...
»
MORE
