According to a new study, physical abuse during childhood is linked with significantly lofty rates of heart disease in later life.

The results were based on facts from a 2005 representative community research conducted in two Canadian provinces.

Esme Fuller-Thomson of University of Toronto stated, "Individuals who reported they had been physically abused as children had 45% higher odds of heart disease than their peers who had not been abused, despite the fact we had adjusted for most of the known risk factors for heart disease."

The childhood ill-treatment and heart disease link continued even after controlling for health activities like smoking, obesity and physical activity level in addition to other adverse childhood experiences including parental addictions, adult income and education level, diabetes, self-reported stress and a history of hypertension and mood disorders.

Out of 13,000 responders, around 7% pointed out that they had been physically ill-treated as kids and 4% reported they had been diagnosed with cardiopathy by a health expert.

Co-author John Frank said, "This finding, if replicated in other studies, suggests that patients known to have experienced child abuse or neglect should have their cardiovascular risk factors managed somewhat more aggressively than other persons, since they are at greater risk."

The results were published in journal Child Abuse & Neglect. (With Inputs from Agencies)