You can die from a broken heart, scientists confirm

Those who experience intense grief after the death of a loved one are twice as likely to die within ten years than those who experience “low levels of grief symptoms” - compared to those who find that time dulls the pain.

Seeking grief therapy can help to reduce the damage that bereavement can cause mental and physical health, the study found.

In 2012, researchers in Denmark tracked 1,735 men and women who had lost a loved one.

The studies average age was 62, with two thirds of them recently losing a partner, 27 per cent a parent and seven per cent a "loved relation".

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The participants were followed for ten years and they filled in multiple questionnaires about their grief.

The researchers identified five “grief trajectories”.

Just 6 per cent were classed as having “high” grief symptoms that stayed at “persistently elevated levels” with no decrease.

Those in the highest grief category participants were 88 per cent more likely to have died after ten years, according to the study published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.

38 per cent reported “persistently low levels of grief symptoms”, as the loss had less of an impact on their daily lives.

Meanwhile, 18 per cent had “high but decreasing” grief symptoms and 29 per cent had “moderate but decreasing” symptoms.

Another 9 per cent reported they started with lower levels of symptoms which increased and peaked at around six months after their loss, before decreasing.

“We have previously found a connection between high grief symptom levels and higher rates of cardiovascular disease, mental health problems and even suicide.

"But the association with mortality should be further investigated,” said Dr Mette Kjærgaard Nielsen from the research unit for general practice at Aarhus University, Denmark, via The Times.

Those experiencing intense grief were found to be more likely to have been prescribed mental health treatment before their loss.

Scientists concluded that this suggests doctors may be able to identify those most at risk from suffering prolonged grief.

“A GP could look for previous signs of depression and other severe mental health conditions,” Nielsen said.

“They can then offer these patients tailored follow-up in general practice, or refer them to a private practice psychologist or secondary care. The GP may also suggest a bereavement follow-up appointment focusing on mental health.”

The study did not explore whether those who accessed therapy after their bereavement experienced a reduction in mortality risk.

However, Nielsen said: “I would say that they may benefit from specific grief therapy.”