Large study ties PTSD, acute stress to cardiovascular disease
CATHARINE PADDOCK PHD | 11 APRIL 2019 | MEDICAL NEWS TODAY –
A large Swedish population study has found strong links between psychiatric conditions that can follow extremely stressful experiences and the risk of several types of cardiovascular disease.
The link between acute stress and cardiovascular symptoms may be bidirectional, suggests new research.
In addition, the researchers found that the risk of a heart attack and other sudden and severe cardiovascular events is especially high in the 6 months that follow the diagnosis of the stress-related condition.
For other types of cardiovascular disease — such as heart failure, a disease that develops slowly — the risk appears to be highest during the 12 months that follow the psychiatric diagnosis.