Heartbreak Loss of the partner can cause severe heart problems

The likelihood of atrial fibrillation increases if the partner died recently
When people lose their partner, they often feel their heart is shattering. Researchers have now discovered that our hearts are actually out of balance when we have to deal with the death of our partner. Such a bereavement can cause the bereaved to have their heart beat irregularly.

People who have lost their partner can have heart problems. Researchers at Aarhus University have now found in an investigation that survivors have an increased likelihood of developing an irregular heartbeat. The Danish physicians published their study in the journal "Open Heart".

If the partner dies unexpectedly, the likelihood of heart problems increases. (Image: Henrie / fotolia.com)

Sudden death of the partner increases the likelihood of heart problems by about 41 percent
If people have recently lost their partner, the odds of developing an irregular heartbeat increase by about 41 percent. The more unexpected the death of the partner has occurred, the higher the risk seems to be, say the experts. In addition, the likelihood of developing arrhythmias increases if the partner dies suddenly, compared to those who lost their partner after a long illness. The loss of one partner most affects people under the age of 60, explain the experts. An emotionally broken heart takes time to heal. Survivors usually develop irregularities in the heartbeat within the first eight to fourteen days after the death of the partner. Over time, the condition begins to normalize. One year after the death of the partner, the probability of an irregular heartbeat returns to normal, add the physicians.

Researchers analyze almost 90,000 cases of atrial fibrillation
Stress has long been associated with arrhythmias in the heart. When people have recently lost their partner, they are experiencing terrible psychological stress, says Simon Graff of Aarhus University in Denmark. To determine whether there was an association between atrial fibrillation and the recent loss of a partner, the authors examined data from medical records in a Danish study. This began in 1995 and ended in 2014. 88,612 cases of atrial fibrillation were found. Of those affected, 17,478 had lost their partner within the last year, scientists say.

Those affected often complain of heart palpitations, shortness of breath and chest pains
Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia in the Western world. When the electrical system of the heart malfunctions so that the two upper chambers of the heart contract very rapidly and irregularly, it is called atrial fibrillation, the researchers explain. Patients often complain of strong palpitations, shortness of breath and chest pains. It also increases the likelihood of strokes, heart failure, and death, Graff explains. In their investigation, the physicians found that both people who live with their partners, as well as separated persons develop more atrial fibrillation after the death of the partner. The probability is about the same for both groups, add the physicians.

Stress and adrenaline could trigger the problem
Although the physiological mechanisms responsible for the association between atrial fibrillation and the loss of a life partner remain unknown, researchers have some guesses. The death of a partner could affect hormonal processes that alter our heartbeat, scientists speculate. For example, adrenalin could disrupt the heart rhythm over time and in excessive amounts. The acute mental stress could lead to an imbalance in the part of the central nervous system that controls both the heart rate and the electrical pathways that run through the heart, says Graff. Further research is now needed to determine how emotional stress affects our heart health. Timely diagnosis based on a possible link between partner loss and atrial fibrillation could help prevent adverse consequences for those affected, adds Graff. (As)