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People with mental health disorders are twice as likely to have heart disease or stroke, according to a new study. 

"This population is at high risk, and it's even greater for people with multiple mental health issues," said Dr. Katie Goldie, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, according to the press release. 

Researchers used data from Canadian Community Health Survey and explored the association between cardiovascular risk and disease, mental health disorders and the use of psychiatric medication. 

Researchers found that: 

People who have had a mental health disorder at any point in their life were twice as likely to have had heart disease or have experienced a stroke.

Those who haven't developed heart disease or had a stroke are more likely to be at a high long-term risk of developing cardiovascular disease, when compared to the general population.

People who used psychiatric medications were twice as likely to have heart disease and three times as likely to have had a stroke compared to those not taking these medications.

The study was presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress.