A latest research has revealed that polygamy, the practice of marrying more than one woman, may impact the health and longevity of the man by increasing the risk of developing heart diseases.

The research was conducted by a group of cardiologists in the Persian Gulf region. The doctors claimed that men who had multiple wives may be at an increased risk of developing heart disease by more than fourfold.

The health experts studied the coronary angiography of more than 687 married men, with an average age of 59. The sample population was referred to five hospitals located across the UAE and Saudi Arabia. According to the Times Gazzette, these areas commonly practise polygamy, in addition to Central and Southeast Asia and West and North Africa.

The results revealed that out of all the men who registered for diagnosis, nearly 70 percent had narrowed major blood vessels, including 50 percent narrowing in their left artery. Nearly 45 percent of the men had a history of heart related disorders, 56 percent had diabetes and 57 percent had increased blood pressure.

“We found an association between an increasing number of wives and the severity and number of coronary blockages. This could be because the need to provide and maintain separate households multiplies the financial burden and emotional expense. Each household must be treated fairly and equally, and it seems likely that the stress of doing that for several spouses and possibly several families of children are considerable,” said cardiologist Dr. Amin Daoulah from the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

However, the researchers warned that it is still too early to state polygamy as a reason for major heart diseases. The other factors, including nutritional habits, level of sexual intimacy and physical exercising were not considered during the study.

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