Loneliness Identified as Risk Factor for Degenerative Heart Valve Disease
New research reveals that loneliness, distinct from social isolation, is associated with a significantly higher risk of developing degenerative heart valve disease, suggesting it could be a modifiable risk factor with important implications for prevention and treatment strategies.
Adults who reported feeling lonely had a higher risk of developing degenerative heart valve disease, even after accounting for traditional heart disease risk factors and genetics, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The study, which followed nearly 463,000 UK Biobank participants for a median of 13.9 years, found that loneliness may be an independent and potentially modifiable risk factor for this condition.
Degenerative valvular heart disease occurs when the heart valves gradually become stiff or leaky over time, making it harder for blood to flow properly through the heart. According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report, valvular heart disease accounted for more than 440,000 deaths in the U.S. between 1999 and 2020. "Degenerative valvular heart disease is becoming more common as populations age," said study author Zhaowei Zhu, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor at The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University in China.
The analysis revealed that compared with people who reported minimal loneliness, those with the highest level of loneliness had a 19% higher risk of developing degenerative valvular heart disease; a 21% higher risk of aortic valve stenosis; and a 23% higher risk of mitral valve regurgitation. During the follow-up period, more than 11,000 new cases were diagnosed. Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity, partially explained the relationship between loneliness and valvular heart disease.
Notably, social isolation—defined by living alone, infrequent contact, and lack of social activities—was not significantly associated with increased risk for any valvular heart disease conditions. This distinction highlights that loneliness, a subjective feeling of distress about one's social connections, is the critical factor. "Loneliness represents a mismatch between the connections a person desires and what they have," said American Heart Association volunteer expert Crystal Wiley Cene, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, who was not involved in the study. "You can be lonely even when you are surrounded by others, if those connections aren’t fulfilling or meaningful."
The implications are significant for clinical practice and public health. "Identifying this new risk is an important step in potentially preventing valve disease, which can lead to heart failure, reduced quality of life and the need for valve replacement surgery," Zhu said. Study co-author Cheng Wei, M.D., added that addressing loneliness could help delay disease progression, postpone surgical interventions, and reduce the long-term clinical and economic burden. Researchers emphasize that loneliness should be viewed as a health risk, not a personal failing.
Study limitations include its observational nature, which cannot prove causation, and the use of self-reported loneliness data at a single time point. Most participants were white adults, so future studies are needed in more diverse populations. The research team also calls for investigations into the biological mechanisms linking loneliness and valve degeneration, and for testing whether interventions that reduce loneliness can lower disease risk. The full study manuscript is available online.