Married men have healthier hearts and ‘half the risk’ from silent killer

GETTING married could be good for your heart in more ways than one, scientists claim.

As well as making you feel loved, a long-term partner can slash your risk of dying from heart failure.

Researchers found men who never marry are more than twice as likely to die from the disease as those who get shacked up.

They tracked survival rates in 94 Americans who were diagnosed with the disease over a decade.

Dr Katarina Leyba, of the University of Colorado, said: “There is a link between a person’s relationship status and their clinical prognosis.

“As our population is getting older and living longer, it’s important to determine how to best support them – and that might not be as easy as taking a pill.

“We need to think about our patients not just in terms of their medical risk factors, but also the context of their life.”

Marriage rates in the UK have been falling for decades with fewer weddings in 2019 than any year since 1893.

Past studies have found being married boosts health and leads to a longer life, especially for men.

Having a spouse reduces loneliness and mental health troubles which helps to cut the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.

Dr Leyba’s study used data from 6,800 people and compared their health and marital status.

Men diagnosed with heart failure were 2.2 times more likely to die within five years if they were lifelong bachelors than if they were married.

She suggested husbands are more likely to stick to medications, keep doctors’ appointments and have better general health.

Marriage status did not affect women’s risk of dying with heart failure.

Around 900,000 Brits have the disease, which is incurable and causes the muscle to become too weak or stiff to pump blood properly.

Dr Leyba presented her study at the American College of Cardiology conference.