Health
Heart disease risk increases for young adults who have lost a sibling, study finds
People who lose a sibling during childhood or early adulthood could be at a higher risk of developing heart disease at an early age, a new study found.
Researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong evaluated more than two million people in Denmark who were born between the years 1978 and 2018.
Among those who had lost a sibling, the average age at the time of the death was 11.
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Based on 17 years of follow-up data, the researchers found that sibling death in childhood and early adulthood was associated with a 17% increased overall risk of cardiovascular disease.
The data analysis was conducted between Nov. 1, 2021, and Jan. 10, 2022.
People who lose a sibling during childhood or early adulthood could be at a higher risk of developing heart disease at an early age, a new study has found. (iStock)
The study findings were published in JAMA Network Open on Jan. 8.
The risk was higher among those who lost a twin or younger sibling, as compared to an older sibling, the study found.
“The findings highlight the need for extra attention and support to the bereaved siblings to reduce CVD risk later in life,” the researchers wrote.
Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers for additional comments.
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David Schonfeld, M.D., director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, was not involved in the study but offered his reaction to the findings.
“Research on the lifelong impact of adverse experiences that occur during childhood has demonstrated the impact on physical health during adulthood,” he told Fox News Digital via email.
The risk of developing heart disease was higher among those who lost a twin or younger sibling as compared to an older sibling, the new study found. (iStock)
“Although the initial research on adverse childhood experiences did not look specifically at the impact of the death of a close family member, we know that the death of a parent or sibling is one of the most stressful experiences for children and can contribute to short- and long-term effects on the psychological functioning, emotional adjustment and developmental trajectory of children – as well as their physical health,” he added.
“A traumatic event like the loss of a sibling can carry over in a significant way into adulthood.”
Jonathan Kahan, M.D., a cardiologist on staff at Delray Medical Center, part of the Palm Beach Health Network in Florida, who was also not part of the research, acknowledged that trauma from the loss of a loved one can extend well beyond the initial loss.
“This can lead to multiple downstream effects, including chronic stress, survivor’s guilt and a host of other emotional or physical responses,” he told Fox News Digital.
A doctor encouraged cardiovascular professionals to expand their focus to non-traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as loss, bereavement and stress. (iStock)
“Chronic stress or chronic guilt is directly linked to cardiovascular disease, which has been shown in multiple studies. A traumatic event like the loss of a sibling can carry over in a significant way into adulthood for those who survive.”
Kahan referred to a condition called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as “broken-heart syndrome” or stress-induced cardiomyopathy, which tends to happen acutely after the death of a loved one.
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Based on the findings of this study, Kahan encouraged cardiovascular professionals to expand their focus to non-traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as loss, bereavement and stress.
“Health care professionals end up focusing on patients during the immediate and acute phase of loss; however, given these findings, the chronic phase of loss should also come into focus,” he said.
“Chronic stress or chronic guilt is directly linked to cardiovascular disease, which has been shown in multiple studies,” a cardiologist noted. (iStock)
“If a patient has lost a sibling, which many health care professionals screen for when examining family history, this study would give me pause as to whether that loss may still be having an effect.”
And for the person who has lost a sibling — which is a “non-modifiable risk factor” for heart disease — Kahan said it’s important to seek help after the traumatic event, whether emotional, physical or social.
“In my experience, the typical response to grief and trauma from losing a loved one is to internalize their pain, stop exercising and isolate from other social activities, which is the exact opposite of what should be done,” he told Fox News Digital.
“If these practices of isolation, sedation and internalization continue chronically, it will have negative effects on any individual in both the mid and long term.”
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Living near heavy traffic could negatively impact your heart health.
A European study, published in the journal Environmental Research, found that exposure to nighttime road traffic noise is linked to changes in the blood, leading to worsened cholesterol and cardiovascular risks.
The researchers considered data from the U.K. Biobank, Rotterdam Study, and Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, including more than 272,000 adults over the age of 30, according to a press release.
Nighttime road noise exposure was estimated at all participants’ homes based on national noise maps. Researchers also took blood samples to measure the participants’ metabolic biomarkers for disease, then mapped the link between nightly noise levels and existence of biomarkers.
Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers. (iStock)
The study found that people exposed to louder noise at night — especially sounds above 55 decibels — showed changes in 48 different substances in their blood. Twenty of these associations “remained robust” throughout all cohorts.
Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers, especially LDL “bad” cholesterol, IDL (intermediate-density lipoprotein) and unsaturated fatty acids.
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As noise levels increased, starting at around 50 decibels, cholesterol markers rose steadily, the release stated.
The authors concluded that this study “provides evidence that nighttime road traffic noise exposure from 50 dB upward is associated with alterations in blood cholesterol and lipid profiles in adults.”
Researchers noted a link between traffic noise and cardiometabolic disease. (iStock)
Study co-author Yiyan He, doctoral researcher at the University of Oulu in Finland, noted that in this type of research, small effect sizes are expected, and environmental exposures such as traffic noise are “typically modest.”
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“Despite this, we observed statistically robust and consistent associations across many biomarkers, especially those related to LDL and IDL lipoproteins,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“We also identified a clear exposure-response pattern starting at around 50 dB, suggesting that metabolic changes become more evident as noise levels increase.”
This aligns with public health guidance, as the World Health Organization recommends lower nighttime noise limits at around 40 to 45 dB, Yiyan He added.
“This finding may clarify the association between traffic noise and cardiometabolic diseases,” the researchers wrote. (iStock)
“The 55 dB level is often used as an interim benchmark associated with substantial noise annoyance and sleep disturbance,” she said. “In our study, we observed associations not only at 55 dB, but also indications of effects emerging at around 50 dB.”
The strength and consistency of the cholesterol-related associations were surprising, as these changes are usually “subtle.”
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“Instead, we found consistent associations across multiple large European cohorts, which strengthens confidence that the findings may reflect real biological patterns,” Yiyan He went on. “We were also interested to see that effects were minimal below ~50 dB, suggesting a possible threshold-like pattern.”
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The researcher noted that these findings were consistent across genders, education levels and obesity status.
The study was restricted to White Europeans, which posed a limitation. There was also a lack of information on the fasting status in the UK Biobank.
Changes in cholesterol levels were more severe than researchers expected. (iStock)
“Fasting can influence levels of certain metabolites, particularly fatty acids,” Yiyan He said. “However, based on UK Biobank documentation, fewer than 10% of participants were fasting for at least eight hours, and our main findings focused on cholesterol-related biomarkers, which are generally less sensitive to short-term fasting.”
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The researchers also lacked information on bedroom location, indoor noise exposure and time spent at home.
“These factors may introduce non-differential exposure misclassification,” Yiyan He said. “Additionally, noise exposure estimates were based on participants’ temporary residential addresses at the time of blood sampling, without considering the duration of residence.”
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“Many of these limitations would tend to bias results toward the null, so the consistent associations we observed remain noteworthy.”
Experts recommend taking measures to limit traffic noise at night. (iStock)
Based on this latest research, Yiyan He noted that nighttime noise is a “health-relevant exposure,” not just “an annoyance.”
“Our findings suggest that nighttime traffic noise may subtly but consistently affect metabolic health,” she said. “While the changes in cholesterol and lipid levels for any one individual are small, traffic noise affects a very large number of people, which means the potential public health impact could be substantial.”
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The researcher recommends taking measures like improving sound insulation, using noise-reducing strategies and placing bedrooms on the quieter side of the home when possible.
“Because sleep is a key pathway linking noise to health, protecting the nighttime sleep environment is especially important,” she added.
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