LONDON: Loneliness among cardiac patients is linked with increased risk of dying within the first year of being discharged from the hospital, according to a study.
The study, published in the journal Heart, noted that loneliness was associated with a significantly increased risk of mortality among women and men.
The researchers, including those from Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark, looked at the health outcomes of patients after a year of admission to a specialist heart centre with either coronary heart disease, abnormal heart rhythm, heart failure, or valve disease in the period between 2013-14.
The study noted that most of the patients — 70 per cent — were men, and their average age was 66.
More than 13,000 patients (53 per cent of the total number) completed validated questionnaires on their physical health, psychological wellbeing, and their levels of anxiety and depression.
The patients were also quizzed about health behaviours, including smoking, drinking, and how often they took their prescribed medicines.
The researchers used national data to find out if the patients lived alone or with other people. (AGENCIES)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
