Loneliness in Older People Linked to Heart Attack and Hospitalization: Study

One in three Americans experienced loneliness over the past year at least once per week.

People who are lonely are at a 16 percent higher risk for issues like heart attacks, according to a recent review of multiple studies. Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

People who are lonely and socially isolated are at a 16 percent higher risk for cardiovascular issues such as heart attacks, according to a recent review of multiple studies.

The peer-reviewed analysis, published in the journal Scientific Reports on June 4, investigated how social isolation and loneliness affected the risk of developing cardiovascular disease among middle-aged and older individuals.