Rows are bad for your heart

16/10/2007

Few of us escape the emotional scarring caused by turbulent relationships - and however good a partnership may be, rows are usually inevitable. But new research by the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that being in a bad relationship is not only distressing - it can have physical consequences on the heart.

This research is in contrast to previous studies which have maintained that being in a relationship is generally better for your health than being on your own - but perhaps the tide is turning. This latest study of 9,000 British civil servants suggests that picking an choosing an unsuitable partner, and then staying in a bad relationship may be worse for your heart than not picking one at all.

Apparently negative relationships boost the risk of heart problems by a staggering 34%. The civil servants answered questions about their close relationships during the 1980s, and were then followed by researchers at University College London for another 12 years. Of the 8,499 individuals who did not have heart problems to begin with, some 589 reported a heart condition subsequently.

And those who were in close relationships where arguments, criticism and other forms of distressing conflict occurred were more likely to be in the group which registered the problems.

Although adjustments were made for basic personality traits such as depression, the findings still remained significant. The authors believe that distressing relationships create greater "wear and tear" on organs - for example, emotional fluctuations could cause high levels of hormonal changes and disturbances in blood clotting.

A spokesperson from the British Heart Foundation said that the study "reinforces a well-known fact that lack of emotional and psychological support may increase the risk of heart disease. Identifying groups of individuals who are at risk and ensuring psychological support can make a big difference. It allows people to deal with their negative emotions."

So if you're in a rocky relationship, sort out some peacemaking tactics quickly!