Doctors Health Press Reports on Study: Death of a Sibling Can Raise a Person’s Risk of Heart Attack

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Doctors Health Press Reports on Study: Death of a Sibling Can Raise a Person’s Risk of Heart Attack

A Sudden Loss Could Mean Worse Health for You

Boston, MA (PRWEB) March 11, 2013

Doctors Health Press, a division of Lombardi Publishing Corporation and publisher of various natural health newsletters, books, and reports, including the popular online Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin, is reporting on a new study finding that after the death of a sibling, a person’s risk of dying from a heart attack may increase.

As Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin (http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/heart-health-articles/a-sudden-loss-could-mean-worse-health-for-you) notes, what happens is that the body’s coping mechanisms for this stressful event may actually trigger a heart attack, known clinically as a myocardial infarction. The results show that this is more likely to happen if a person has been mourning the loss for an extended period of time, such as many years in a row.

As the article “A Sudden Loss Could Mean Worse Health for You” reports, this population study, hailing from Sweden, comprises health information on about 1.6 million adults. It is the largest of its kind to link heart attack deaths with the death of a sibling. The following were interesting findings from the study:

• Sisters were 25% more likely to die from heart attack after a sibling’s death; brothers were 15% more likely.
• There was no increased risk of heart attack in the weeks following a sibling’s death, suggesting the passage of time can allow stress and mourning to build.
• If the sibling died of heart attack, the risk of the same thing happening to a brother rose 98% and to a sister 62%.

The Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin article states that the researchers speculate that the problem is that people may fall into unhealthy lifestyle habits after losing a sibling. Not exercising, drinking too much, taking up smoking again, and not caring about diet could put the heart at risk. Plus, the long-lasting effects of stress as the months roll on can take a toll on the heart. Finally, the obvious genetic link could be at work, as siblings may face similar health
risks.

(SOURCE: Rostila, M., et al., “Mortality From Myocardial Infarction After the Death of a Sibling:
A Nationwide Follow-up Study From Sweden,” Journal of the American Heart Association; published online February 27, 2013.)

Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin is a daily e-letter providing natural health news with a focus on natural healing through foods, herbs, and other breakthrough health alternative treatments. For more information on Doctors Health Press, visit http://www.doctorshealthpress.com.

Doctors Health Press believes in the healing properties of various alternative remedies, including Traditional Chinese Medicine. To see a video outlining the Doctors Health Press’ views on Traditional Chinese Medicine, visit http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/chinesemedicine.

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