Social Isolation, Loneliness Again Associated with CVD in Older Adults

Unfortunately, social support didn't seem to modify the association.

Social isolation and loneliness have been associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among older adults (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:5797). To further clarify the association, investigators evaluated a cohort of 57,825 postmenopausal women (mean age, 79; 89% white) enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative Extension Study II from 2011 to 2019. Participants had no history of myocardial infarction, stroke, or coronary heart disease at baseline; they completed questionnaires assessing social isolation, loneliness, and social support. The primary outcome was major CVD (coronary heart disease, stroke, or CVD death) as adjudicated by physicians from medical records.

There were 1599 major CVD events during more than 185,…

Reviewing Author

Karol E. Watson, MD, PhD, FACC

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBoehringer Ingelheim; Amgen; Novartis; Lilly; Amarin

Speaker’s BureauBoehringer Ingelheim

Grant/Research SupportNIH

Editorial BoardsCirculation (Associate Editor)