Losing a Sibling in Childhood Increases Heart Disease Risk by 17%

Recent studies have established a connection between the early loss of a sibling and a 17% higher likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease, particularly in its early stages. These results underscore the significant influence of bereavement on heart well-being and emphasize the importance of offering additional assistance to mourning siblings to minimize the potential for future health complications.

The bond between siblings, one of the lengthiest and most intimate relationships, holds a distinctive and profound impact on each other’s growth throughout childhood and adolescence. Earlier research has indicated that the death of a sibling is an exceptionally distressing event, potentially more disruptive than the loss of other family members. However, the question arises: does this loss lead to physical consequences such as an elevated risk of disease?

Fudan University Study on Early Sibling Loss and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk

To address this inquiry, scientists from Fudan University in China investigated the link between the early loss of a sibling and the subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

They conducted a population-based study involving over two million Danish individuals, with 51.3% being males, and a median age of 11.48 when their sibling passed away. The focus was on incident early-onset CVD, defined as the initial occurrence of CVD before reaching 41 years. Over the median follow-up of 17.52 years, 1,286 and 76,862 participants in the bereaved and non-bereaved groups, respectively, were diagnosed with CVD. The median age of CVD onset was 22.86 years.

Bereaved participants exhibited a 17% higher risk of overall CVD compared to non-bereaved individuals. Most type-specific CVD risks were also elevated, with a 34% to 66% higher risk of heart failure, myocardial infarction, ischemic heart disease, pulmonary embolism, and cerebrovascular disease observed in those who lost a sibling. The risk was increased regardless of the cause of the sibling’s death, but it was higher for most type-specific CVDs if the sibling died from CVD.

Impact on Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk Over Time

Concerning age differences between siblings, the association was more robust for those who lost a twin or a younger sibling. The heightened CVD risk following sibling death persisted in the short and long term, irrespective of the age at bereavement. However, the researchers noted a more than three-fold increased risk of CVD within the first year following sibling death during adolescence.

“In this cohort study, sibling death in childhood and early adulthood was associated with increased risks of overall and most type-specific early-onset CVDs, and the strengths of these associations varied by the cause of death and age difference between sibling pairs,” stated the researchers. “The risk was highest shortly after the bereavement, especially for adolescents, but persisted in the long run.”

Unveiling the Relationship Between Sibling Death and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk

To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, this is the initial population-based study that furnishes comprehensive insights into the connection between sibling death and the risk of both overall and type-specific cardiovascular disease (CVD). The researchers put forth some potential mechanisms to elucidate this association.

Their discovery that individuals who had siblings die from CVD faced a heightened risk of CVD supports the notion that shared genetic and environmental cardiovascular risk factors within families may be contributory factors. However, the elevated risk persisted when siblings succumbed to non-CVD causes, indicating the involvement of factors beyond genetics. The psychological stress experienced post-bereavement could trigger acute stress responses, leading to pathophysiological changes over time. The more pronounced grief following the loss of a twin or a younger sibling might induce atypical psychophysiological states, potentially resulting in abnormal cardiovascular health outcomes.

While the study doesn’t establish a direct causal link between the loss of a sibling and heart disease, the findings underscore the importance of offering additional attention, as well as social and mental health support, to grieving siblings to mitigate the risk of developing CVD later in life.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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