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Study coauthor Dr. Simon Graff, of the Department of Public Health, Research Unit for General Practice at Aarhus University, Denmark, and colleagues publish their findings in Open Heart - a journal of The BMJ.
Compared with individuals who had not lost a partner, those who had were at 41% greater risk for developing atrial fibrillation (AF) for the first time in the first 30 days after their partner's passing, the researchers found.
The risk of AF was highest in the 8-14 days after a partner death, before gradually declining. However, it was not until 1 year after the loss of a partner that the risk of AF was almost the same as those who had not lost a partner.
Individuals under the age of 60 who had lost a partner had the greatest risk for AF, at double the risk of those the same age who had not lost a partner.
People whose partners were relatively healthy in the month before their passing were also at higher risk for AF; they were 57% more likely to develop the condition than those whose partners were not healthy in the month before death and who were expected to die soon.
Category(s):Health / Illness / Medical Issues, Health Psychology, Relationships & Marriage
Source material from The BMJ
