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Roman Bystrianyk
medicine forum Guru
Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 454
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 Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 7:53 am Post subject:
Lonely men 'have high heart risk'
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http://www.healthsentinel.com/news.php?event=news_print_list_item&id=778
"Lonely men 'have high heart risk'", BBC News, May 2, 2005,
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4498559.stm
Being sociable is good for your heart, researchers have suggested.
The US study found men who do not have many close links with friends
and family have higher levels of a blood molecule which indicates
inflammation.
The data is being presented to a meeting of the American Heart
Association.
UK heart experts said people who were socially isolated may be less
active and more likely to smoke, both factors which increase heart
risk.
Inflammation appears to play a role in causing atherosclerosis by
allowing white blood cells to attach themselves to the side of the
blood vessel wall.
This means fatty deposits can stick to the blood vessel wall more
easily.
Gender difference
Researchers studied 3,267 men and women with an average age of 62, from
across America who were taking part in the Framingham Heart Study.
They underwent medical examinations between 1998 and 2001 where
researchers measured blood concentrations of four inflammatory markers
including the molecule interleukin-6 (IL-6).
Participants were also asked about their marital status, the number of
relatives or close friends in whom they could confide in, whether they
had any involvement in religious meetings or services and participation
in groups such as day centres.
| Quote: | From this information, the researchers assigned a social network rating
of one (social isolation), to four (social connection). |
After considering major known risk factors for heart disease, men with
the lowest level of social involvement had the highest levels of IL-6,
the study showed.
The researchers said the difference between men with the lowest and
highest rating was statistically significant.
Researchers say IL-6, and so inflammation, may be elevated in socially
isolated men because they are more prone to living less healthily and
that socially isolated people are more often depressed and under stress
than those who are more outgoing.
However the researchers said no difference was seen between socially
isolated or connected women.
Researchers say this may be because they asked about the quantity
rather than the quality of relationships, which they suggest may be the
crucial factor for women.
There was also no link found between other markers of inflammation in
the blood and whether or not someone was sociable.
Support
Eric Loucks, from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, who took
part in the research, said: "Our analyses suggest that it may be good
for the heart to be connected.
"In general, it seems to be good for health to have close friends and
family, to be connected to community groups or religious organisations,
and to have a close partner."
Cathy Ross, a cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "The
results of this study further support the evidence that raised
inflammatory markers may indicate an increased risk of developing
coronary heart disease.
"It identified raised markers in those who are socially isolated and
linked the fact that the individuals in this group may be less active
and more likely to smoke. Both of these are significant risk factors
for CHD.
"Rehabilitation programmes and support groups, such as those run by the
BHF, have been shown to support patients and their families, increase
their confidence and reduce the incidence of isolation." |
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