Heart matters! Married people at less risk of cardiovascular problems

This no pundit would ever be able to tell you while scanning your horoscope for a suitable life partner. However, scientists have figured this out well.

Married people, regardless of age, sex, or even cardiovascular risk factors, have significantly less chances of having any kind of cardiovascular disease than those who were single, divorced or widowed, a thrilling research reveals.

"When it comes to cardiovascular disease, marital status does indeed matter," said Jeffrey Berger from New York University's Langone Medical Center.

The researchers looked at the surveys of more than 3.5 million American men and women administered at some 20,000 health centres across the country.

They found that being married carried a five percent lower risk of having any cardiovascular disease than being single.

Younger married people, those under age 50, had a 12 percent lower odds of disease than younger single people.

Widowed and divorced people were three percent and five percent, respectively, more likely to suffer from any kind of cardiovascular disease - including peripheral artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm and coronary artery disease.

According to Berger, clinicians need to pay attention to marital status when evaluating patients for heart problems.

"If one of my patients is recently widowed or divorced, I am increasingly vigilant about examining that patient for signs of any type of cardiovascular disease and depression," he noted.

Older couples, between ages 51 and 60, had seven percent reduced risk, while those above 60 had approximately four percent lower odds of disease, the survey found.

Married people can look after each other, making sure their spouse eats healthy, exercises regularly, and takes medication as prescribed.

A spouse can also help keep doctors' appointments and provide transportation, making for easier access to health care services, NYU Langone cardiology fellow Carlos L. Alviar added.

The study was presented at the annual scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology in Washington, DC.