Bereavement was associated with higher rates of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in a nationwide Swedish cohort study of more than 5 million adults aged 30 years or older. The association was strongest following partner loss, with adjusted hazard ratios increasing from 1.30 before the pandemic to 1.46 during the pandemic. Elevated risks were also observed for myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease, heart failure, acute CVD events, and fatal CVD events, with risk generally highest during the first 90 days following loss and often peaking within the first week.