Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2009 Apr;76 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S60-5.
doi: 10.3949/ccjm.76.s2.12.

Is posttraumatic stress disorder related to development of heart disease? An update

Laura D Kubzansky  1 , Karestan C Koenen
Affiliations
Review

Is posttraumatic stress disorder related to development of heart disease? An update

Laura D Kubzansky et al. Cleve Clin J Med. 2009 Apr.

Abstract

It has long been hypothesized that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases coronary heart disease (CHD) risk; however, empirical evidence is limited. In the first prospective study to date, individuals with higher PTSD symptom levels had a significantly increased risk for CHD, after controlling for known coronary risk factors. PTSD indicates a chronic stress reaction and is hypothesized to influence CHD either by causing biological alterations that lead to cardiovascular damage, or by leading to adverse health behaviors that increase CHD risk. A key issue is whether PTSD contributes to the development of CHD, if PTSD and CHD share common pathways, or if CHD causes PTSD. Research combined across different disciplines suggests that prolonged or chronic stress does influence the development of CHD. A better understanding of the relationship will increase prevention and intervention efforts. Cardiologists may be most effective when they can recognize and manage emotional distress in practice.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Both authors reported that they have no financial interests or relationships that pose a potential conflict of interest with this article.

References

    1. Kubzansky LD, Koenen KC, Spiro A, Vokonas PS, Sparrow D. Prospective study of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and coronary heart disease in the Normative Aging Study. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2007;64:109–116. - PubMed

    2. ••Describes the first prospective test of the hypothesis that post-traumatic stress disorder increases the incident risk of coronary heart disease.

    1. The American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th, text revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. p. 463.
    1. Koenen KC, Stellman JM, Stellman SD, Sommer JF. Risk factors for course of posttraumatic stress disorder among Vietnam veterans: a 14-year follow-up of American Legionnaires. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2003;71:980–986. - PubMed

    2. •Detailed examination of factors that increase risk and affect course of posttraumatic stress disorder and its recovery.

    1. Vanitallie TB. Stress: a risk factor for serious illness. Metabolism. 2002;51(suppl 1):40–45. - PubMed
    1. Solter V, Thaller V, Karlović D, Crnković D. Elevated serum lipids in veterans with combat-related chronic posttraumatic stress disorder. Croat Med J. 2002;43:685–699. - PubMed

MeSH terms