A problem shared is a problem halved for heart attack patients

A CLOSE relationship with a lover, friend or relative can halve the risk of ongoing heart attacks, according to the latest research.

Doctors at Manchester Royal Infirmary studied the lifestyles of 600 people and monitored them for a year after they had suffered a heart attack.

They found patients who were able to confide in someone close to them were half as likely to suffer subsequent heart attacks as those without such a confidant. The link remained even after taking account of the severity of the original heart attack and other risk factors.