Looking at the mortality rate of 13,446 patients a year after they were discharged from hospital with coronary heart disease, abnormal heart rhythm, heart failure, or valve disease, the researchers found higher percentage of death amongst those who lived a lonely life after discharge.

At the time of discharge, the patients shared information on their physical health, psychological well-being, quality of life, and levels of anxiety. They also reported on their lifestyle, whether they smoked, drank and how often they took their medication. The researchers used national data to determine if the patients lived alone. They compared it to the national registry a year later to determine what happened to patients’ cardiac health and how many died.

Loneliness was associated with significantly weaker physical health. Patients who said they felt lonely were nearly three times as likely to be anxious and depressed, against those who said they didn’t feel lonely.