Relatives of cancer patients experience a large degree of negative stress. Now, researchers say the negative stress increases coronary heart disease and stroke risk by almost 30% for the partners of cancer patients.
In a recent study, researcher Jianguang Ji and colleagues at the Centre for Primary Healthcare Research in Malmö, Sweden, investigated the specific risk for coronary heart disease and stroke when an individual’s spouse is suffering from cancer.
The study results, based on the national Swedish cancer registry and the Swedish inpatient registry, showed that the risk for coronary heart disease and stroke increased by between 13% and 29% in people whose partner had cancer.
Because the risk of cardiovascular disease was only marginally increased (3%-5%) in the time before the person’s life partner became ill with cancer, the researchers believe a majority of the increased risk is most likely explained by the negative stress to which the spouse of the cancer patient is exposed, rather than lifestyle choices.
“Our study shows that preventive efforts aimed at reducing psychological stress and negative risk factors are important for people whose life partner has got cancer,” says Jianguang Ji.
Source: Lund University.
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