Social isolation + heart failure increase hospitalizations, death

Patients with heart failure who felt socially isolated were much more likely to die or be hospitalized than more socially connected patients, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association(AHA)/American Stroke Association.

More than 6 million U.S. adults are estimated to have heart failure and that number continues to rise. In an earlier study, these researchers found that social isolation may increase the risk of depression and anxiety. However, little is known about the possible connection between patients’ feelings of social isolation, risk of death and use of medical care.