Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, has previously been associated with major forms of cardiovascular disease.
However, research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association on the 13th of February 2019 shows that PTSD is not an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The authors outlined that comorbid conditions explain the association between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Cardiovascular Disease.
Common risk factors for Cardiovascular Disease included smoking, sleep disorders, depression, and metabolic disease such as diabetes. Many of these are comorbid with PTSD and are the risk factors associated with Cardiovascular Disease.
The good news outlined by the authors was that “PTSD does not preordain Cardiovascular Disease” and just like any other person who may smoke, have a sleep disorder, depression, or a metabolic disease. The risk of Cardiovascular Disease can be mitigated with health behaviour change and effective chronic disease management.
