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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Comedian Amy Schumer, 44, has recently come clean about her struggle with Cushing’s syndrome, leading to a dramatic weight loss.
Schumer’s transformation has sparked conversation online, to which she responded in a now-deleted Instagram post that shut down speculation about cosmetic enhancements.
“I didn’t lose 30lbs — I lost 50,” she emphasized on social media, adding that she does not get Botox or filler.
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Schumer doubled down that her weight loss was not about her appearance, but about staying alive.
“Not to look hot, which does feel fun and temporary,” she said. “I did it to survive. I had a disease that makes your face extremely puffy that can kill you, but the internet caught it and that disease has cleared.”
Amy Schumer attends Variety’s 2024 Power of Women: New York event on May 2, 2024, in New York City on the left. On the right, Schumer later poses for a photo posted to Instagram after her weight loss. (Marleen Moise/WireImage; Amy Schumer/Instagram)
“Sorry for whatever feeling it’s giving you that I lost that weight,” she added. “I’ve had plastic surgery over the years and I use [Mounjaro]. Sorry to anyone they let down. I’m pain free. I can [play] tag with my son.”
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The actress also addressed her shifting hormones, saying that she’s “happy to share more if anyone has any questions about how I’m looking or feeling or where I am in my perimenopause process.”
“I didn’t lose 30lbs — I lost 50,” Schumer emphasized on social media, adding that she does not get Botox or filler. (Amy Schumer/Instagram)
What is Cushing’s syndrome?
Schumer previously revealed that she had been diagnosed with Cushing’s syndrome, a hormonal disorder that can cause extreme swelling, fatigue and potentially fatal complications.
Dr. Peter Balazs, a hormone and weight loss specialist in New Jersey, provided more details on the condition in an interview with Fox News Digital.
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“Cushing’s syndrome is caused by prolonged, high exposure to cortisol, which is your body’s main stress hormone,” he said. “Usually, the excess cortisol is a result of prolonged steroid use. We see this many times with patients who have some autoimmune disorder.”
Balazs said the “key” to Cushing’s syndrome is not just weight gain, but a “specific redistribution” of fat caused by too much cortisol.
Amy Schumer is photographed during a guest interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Feb. 13, 2024 (left), and later seen walking through midtown New York City on Oct. 28, 2025 (right). (Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images; Raymond Hall/GC Images/Getty Images)
Fat may be driven to the abdomen, chest, upper back (referred to as a “buffalo hump”) or face, sometimes considered “moon face,” the doctor said.
Cortisol also breaks down protein, which leads to a thinning in the arms and legs. “Weight gain can be tough, involuntary and hard to manage,” Balazs added.
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Cortisol stimulates “hunger centers” in the brain, raises blood sugar and promotes fat storage, especially deep belly fat, according to the doctor.
Cushing’s syndrome can also cause high blood pressure, bone loss and sometimes type 2 diabetes, per Mayo Clinic.
In addition to weight gain in certain areas, other symptoms may include pink or purple stretch marks on the stomach, hips, thighs, breasts and underarms, as well as acne, slow wound healing, and thin, frail skin that bruises easily.
With Cushing’s syndrome, fat may accumulate in the abdomen, chest, face or upper back (referred to as a “buffalo hump”). (iStock)
Women with Cushing’s syndrome often experience thick, dark hair on the face and body, as well as irregular periods. Symptoms among men can include a lower sex drive, reduced fertility and erectile dysfunction.
Mayo Clinic listed other potential symptoms, including extreme fatigue, muscle weakness, depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, trouble with concentration and memory, headache, sleeplessness, skin darkening and stunted growth in children.
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Those with symptoms should contact their doctor immediately, especially if they are taking steroids to treat health issues like asthma, arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease, as these medications can exacerbate the condition.
The Mayo Clinic has reported that the “sooner treatment starts, the better the chances for recovery.”
“I’ve had plastic surgery over the years and I use [Mounjaro],” Schumer stated in a social media post. (George Frey/Bloomberg)
For patients like Schumer, weight loss is typically not the main goal, Balazs noted, but it is a “critical sign” of successful treatment.
“The primary goal is to normalize your high cortisol levels,” he said. “I believe Amy Schumer got treated first for her underlying problem. Once the cortisol is normalized, which is the most important step, there’s a role to use adjunct medications to decrease weight.”
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Among GLP-1s, Mounjaro is an “excellent choice to decrease deep belly fat and increase insulin sensitivity of cells,” Balazs added.
Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Giang-Paunon contributed to this report.
Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s rep requesting comment.
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