Losing a sibling causes long term stress on the heart – increasing the risk of death, researchers revealed last night.
The findings add to evidence that some people really do die of a broken heart.
The research in Sweden showed that the increased risk of dying from a heart attack applies years after people lose adult siblings.
The link may also reflect problems of underlying heart disease in families.
Researchers found male risk of death increased by 15% some two years after bereavement. Among women the increase in risk was 25%.
But when the first death was from heart attack, the male risk was doubled and women’s risk increased by 62%.
The study, reported in the Journal of the American Heart Association involved some 1.6 million people aged between 40 and 69.
Researcher Dr Mikael Rostila, of Stockholm University and the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, said: "We might be able to prevent heart attacks and other heart-related conditions by treating these siblings early on and recommending stress management."
The British Heart Foundation said one factor might be people turning to unhealthy lifestyles, such as junk food, in response to bereavement.
Amy Thompson, of the Foundation, said: “These findings should certainly give us all food for thought. The immediate stress and grief brought about by the death of a family member cannot be underestimated but it’s vital to consider how we cope with that stress later.
"Turning to cigarettes and junk food, stopping exercise and isolating yourself in the months and years after a loss are unhealthy coping mechanisms and could in turn raise your heart risk.
"Talking to someone about your feelings is probably the most important way to cope with your grief but staying fit and healthy can make all the difference, too."
Mikael Rostila et al. Mortality from myocardial infarction after the death of a sibling: A nationwide follow-up study from Sweden. Journal of the American Heart Association February 2013 JAHA/2012/000046R1
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