Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Marriage might boost stroke survival odds

I see countless benefits of being married to someone who puts up with me. Now, it seems, a lengthy, stable marriage may boost stroke survival:
Stroke patients may have better odds of surviving if they're in a long-term stable marriage, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that among more than 2,300 stroke sufferers, those who'd been "continuously" married had a better chance of surviving -- versus both lifelong singles and people who'd been divorced or widowed.
The long-term marrieds' outlook was better even compared to people who'd gotten remarried after divorcing or losing a spouse.
The reasons for the findings aren't completely clear, and the study doesn't prove a cause-and-effect relationship. But researchers said the study highlights the potential importance of "social support" in stroke recovery.
"This implies that the support of a lifelong partner has benefits," said Dr. Ralph Sacco, a professor of neurology at the University of Miami and a past president of the American Heart Association.
(Photo from firemedic58 via Flickr)

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