Loneliness May Lead to Cardiovascular Disease, Study Suggests

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New research suggests social isolation and loneliness can increase the risk of having a heart attack or stroke by 30%, Time Magazine reports.

Researchers analyzed over 20 studies involving 181,000 people and concluded that loneliness was linked to a 29% increased risk of heart disease and 32% chance of stroke.

According to researchers the size of the effect is comparable to other well-known factors including anxiety and job stress.

“We take risk factors like obesity and physical inactivity for granted, whereas we do not yet with social isolation and loneliness,” lead researcher and University of York research fellow Nicole Valtorta said.

According to numbers from the American Heart Association over 30% of Mexican-Americans, age 20 and older have coronary heart disease, a condition that often leads to heart attacks and strokes.