Increased mortality in partners of female myocardial infarction patients

BACKGROUND: Many studies have been performed on the impact of Alzheimer's disease, stroke and cancer on carers. Information on the influence of a myocardial infarction in a patient on the health of the partner is still scarce. METHODS: Exposed and non-exposed partners were compared with respect to the occurrence of mortality and predefined diseases, using Cox proportional hazards survival analysis. RESULTS: None of the disease incidence rates differed between exposed partners and control partners. Over 12 times as many male partners of (female) heart patients died as compared to their male control partners, when they had a low educational level. CONCLUSION: When exposed to myocardial infarction in a patient, the risk of dying in low educated male partners was over 12 times as large as for male low educated unexposed partners.