An unhappy marriage is certainly unpleasant for the participants, but did you know that having an unsupportive spouse could kill you? That revelation is one discovered by researchers at the University of Utah, who found that an unhappy marriage literally could break your heart. Specifically, the study found a link between spouses who reported their partners were "sometimes supportive but sometimes upsetting" and heart disease. When it's perceived that a partner's support is "ambivalent," the level of coronary artery calcification is high. Calcified arteries mean thicker artery walls, which means blood can't pass as easily through them. This puts people at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease and heart attacks. The researchers surveyed 136 older couples – with a median age of 63 – to rate their perceived levels of support from their spouses.