# Posttraumatic stress disorder, depressive and cardiovascular disease symptoms among young patients receiving medical treatment in a heart centre: A cross-sectional study

## TL;DR

This study finds that young heart patients with PTSD and depression have higher cardiovascular symptoms and blood pressure changes, suggesting the need for trauma screening in heart care.

## Contribution

The study identifies a novel association between PTSD symptoms and physiological changes in young cardiovascular patients.

## Key findings

- Patients with cardiovascular disease reported significantly higher PTSD and depressive symptoms compared to those with other conditions.
- PTSD symptoms were linked to higher systolic blood pressure and heart rate in cardiovascular patients.
- PTSD symptoms correlated with shorter sleep duration and altered blood pressure levels.

## Abstract

Exploring the connections between traumatic experiences and subsequent health outcomes is vital for informing clinical practices and public health policies. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between lifetime trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depressive and cardiovascular disease (CVD) symptoms.

A total of 171 patients who received treatment in a local heart centre were included in this study. Several questionnaires such as the Life Event Checklist-5, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were used to measure their traumatic experiences and PTSD and depressive symptoms, respectively. Physiological measures were also examined. Data were analysed using SPSS.

The chi-square test showed significant differences in the percentage of reported PTSD symptoms among the patients with CVD (24.0%), patients with kidney disease (4.3%) and patients with other health problems (7.1%). The patients with CVD reported having a significantly higher percentage of PTSD and depressive symptoms than the patients with other medical conditions. The patients with CVD who reported having PTSD symptoms had significant systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate changes compared to the patients who did not. The patients who reported PTSD symptoms had a significantly shorter sleep duration than their counterparts. The SBP and diastolic blood pressure differed significantly between the patients with and without PTSD symptoms.

Earlier detection, prevention and intervention related to trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms are suggested to reduce the CVD risk.