People who lose interest in life more prone to heart disease

People who are irritable or have lost interest in life are much more likely to suffer cardiac arrest, a form of heart attack where the heart stops beating.

The impact of mental wellbeing on heart health has been highlighted by researchers who have been exploring the many causes of cardiac arrest, which affects around 30,000 Britons and 240,000 Americans every year.

Although the researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai highlighted the usual suspects, such as a poor diet, obesity and smoking—which was the single biggest risk factor—they also discovered others that weren’t so obvious.

Feelings of loneliness and depression, which have become major health concerns since the Covid lockdowns, increased the risk of cardiac arrest by around 30 percent.

Analysing the UK Biobank survey, the researchers also found that alcohol had a protective effect—and perhaps most surprisingly that champagne and white wine had similar benefits as red wine, which is known for its cardioprotective effects.  Both white and red wines, and champagne, reduced heart risks by around 40 percent, provided they were consumed in moderation.

Of the risk factors, a sedentary lifestyle and watching too much TV were some of the most significant, almost doubling the chances of a cardiac arrest.

Taking glucosamine supplements reduced the risk by around 20 percent, and eating fruits and vegetables also lowered the risk by almost 30 percent.

Overall, the researchers highlighted 56 factors that influenced heart health for good or bad, suggesting that heart disease is multifactorial.  But if we improved our diets, didn’t smoke, exercised and drank a glass or two of wine or champagne every week, we would reduce our risk of cardiac arrest by 63 percent.

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