Studies Link PTSD, Heart Attacks

Dec, 06

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A long-term study by Harvard and Boston University researchers of 1,946 male veterans of World War II and Korea shows that veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder incur a greater chance of heart attacks when they age. The study commenced with questionnaires administered in 1986 and 1990, then researchers followed the subjects from 10 to 15 years. During the interval, veterans with a higher amount of PTSD symptoms recorded a higher incidence of heart attacks. For example, each level of symptoms reported in the 1990 questionnaire resulted in a subsequent rise of 18 percent risk of chest pain or heart attack. The project adds to earlier studies that link PTSD with auto-immune diseases such as psoriasis and arthritis.