Comorbidities explain higher heart risks with PTSD
But treating those comorbidities may present a challenge
20th February 2019
Comorbidities such as smoking, anxiety and depression account for the increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to an analysis of electronic health records.
"PTSD by itself is not an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease," Dr Jeffrey Scherrer of the VA Medical Center in Columbia, Missouri, and St. Louis University School of Medicine said by phone.
"That's evidenced very strongly in the subsample of patients who had no smoking,