Study uncovers a link between post-traumatic stress disorder and heart disease

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder can increase the risk of heart disease in men.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological condition marked by symptoms such as anxiety, sleep disturbance and flashbacks. It occurs following exposure to a traumatic event, such as assault, natural disaster or accident. Now researchers at Harvard School of Public Health reveal that PTSD has an adverse impact upon heart health.

They studied a group of nearly 2,000 men in the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study, all of whom had been in the military. They examined all new cases of heart disease and also looked at PTSD symptom scores. For each increase in symptom level, there was a 26 per cent increased risk of both fatal and non-fatal heart attack combined. There was also a 21 per cent increased risk of all heart disease outcomes, including angina. The findings suggest that not only does PTSD harm mental health - it is also a risk factor for heart disease. Further study is needed to determine exactly how PTSD affects the heart. It may be that earlier and more effective treatment of PTSD could cut the risk of heart disease among those who have been exposed to trauma.

Source
Archives of General Psychiatry January 2007 Volume 64 pages 109-116

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