Health
Study: Having a spouse with heart disease increases one’s risk of developing it
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- A recent study at the Heart Health Research Center in Beijing, China showed that having a spouse with heart disease poses more risk for his/her partner in developing the same illness.
- Dr. Chi Wang led the conduct of the research study from 2014 to 2016.
- There were more than 5,000 respondents comprised of heterosexual couples over the age of 45 across seven regions in China involved in the study.
According to a recent study at the Heart Health Research Center in Beijing, China, having a spouse with heart disease poses more risk for his/her partner in developing the same illness.
Heart diseases, which are considered lifestyle diseases too, is the leading cause of death in the US. Aside from genetics, certain lifestyle choices such as smoking, drinking, sedentary lifestyle, and poor, unhealthy diet are known to contribute to the development of heart disease.
More than 5,000 respondents comprised of heterosexual couples over the age of 45 across seven regions in China participated in the study, which was carried out from 2014 to 2016.
The study focused on variables involving the respondents’ personal health and that of their spouses, which include body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure, which are major determinants of heart diseases.
Their lifestyle choices were also determined, which included, but not limited to smoking and drinking alcohol.
Evidently, the study showed a direct link between heart disease risks and health and lifestyle choices of the respondents’ and their spouses, especially among men.
Results showed that 28 percent of men whose wives had heart disease were more likely to develop the same condition. Likewise, those who had partners with previous heart-related illness such as stroke, obesity, and the likes, ended up with a heart condition. Moreover, men in particular face a higher risk of developing heart disease if their wife smokes, with history of stroke.
Lead researcher Dr. Chi Wang said that “an individual’s cardiovascular disease risk is associated with the health status and lifestyle of their wife or husband. In addition to sharing lifestyle factors and socioeconomic environment, our study suggests the stress of caring for a spouse with cardiovascular disease may contribute to increased cardiovascular risk.”
Dr. Wang emphasized, however, that husbands are more at risk for heart diseases than wives due to established cultural practices. Women play a more prominent role in setting a family’s lifestyle including diet, according to the researchers.
“The health status and risk factors of women, who are the drivers of lifestyle in a majority of families in different cultural backgrounds, seem to affect their husbands to a greater extent than husbands’ risk factors affect wives,” Dr. Wang said.
This study was presented during the 70th Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology.
Source: Studyfinds.org
