• Posted February 26, 2026

Study Highlights Unique Parenting Struggles of Younger Patients With Heart Disease

As heart disease increasingly strikes 30-, 40- and 50-somethings, a new challenge has emerged that traditional medicine often overlooks: How to heal a heart while raising a family.

A study published today in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology reveals that younger heart patients face a double burden. They aren't just fighting for their own survival — they’re also navigating the complex emotional and physical toll of parenting as patients.

Early-onset heart disease — defined as occurring before age 55 in men and 65 in women — is on the rise, according to researchers. Global cases jumped from 1.5 million in 1990 to 2.6 million in 2019.

Lead investigator Karen Bouchard, an associate scientist at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, noted that the stress is unique for these parents juggling career and the high-energy demands of young children. 

“Managing a chronic illness is difficult enough, but it can be even more stressful if you are a parent to younger children,” Bouchard said in a news release.

The 32 participants in the study were recruited from a large Canadian heart treatment center. All were over 18 and had been diagnosed with premature heart disease such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, stroke and cardiac arrhythmias. All were parenting at least one child under 18 years of age.

Based upon a 90-minute online focus group, researchers identified three major areas where parents could use more help from the health care system.

• The Talk: Parents reported deep uncertainty about how much to tell their children about their heart event or diagnosis. Many downplayed the severity of their condition, because they were still processing the trauma themselves.

• The Exhaustion Gap: Heart conditions often cause low energy and irritability, causing an identity shift for parents. Many mothers and fathers struggled to look normal on the outside while being unable to maintain the routine of household chores or the playtime as they once had.

• The Genetic Worry: Survivors, especially mothers, often become hypervigilant about their children’s health, sometimes unfairly restricting their kids' diets or activities out of a fear that they have passed on "bad genes."

Most heart recovery programs focus on diet, exercise and medication, but rarely on family dynamics. The study suggests the need to enhance these programs to help families heal together.

“Based on my clinical experience, it is not surprising that parents want more support from health care providers in navigating their illness as a parent,” said co-lead investigator Heather Tulloch of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.

To meet the needs of the parent population managing heart disease, researchers have developed a new patient guide and an illustrated children's book, set for release in May 2026, to help families discuss heart health in a way kids can understand.

More information

Womenheart.org offers tips on talking to family about heart health.

SOURCES: University of Ottawa Heart Institute news release, Feb. 26, 2026; Canadian Journal of Cardiology, Feb. 26, 2026