New Delhi, Sep 7 (PTI) Mental health conditions that may develop following a traumatic incident could contribute to a higher risk of future cardiovascular issues such as non-fatal heart attack and stroke or a fatal cardiac event, according to new research.
“Traumatic events are common experiences and can include serious fires or explosions, physical assault, transportation accidents, the suicide or death of a loved one, and severe medical illnesses or injuries,” lead author Jennifer A Sumner, an associate professor in the department of psychology at the University of California Los Angeles, said.
“Experiencing traumatic events can significantly affect mental health as well as cardiovascular health. Although most work to date has focused on PTSD and cardiovascular health, our research suggests that we should think about a wide range of mental health consequences when looking at cardiovascular disease risk after trauma,” Sumner said.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, examined national health registries in Denmark, looking at 2,19,866 adults who did and did not develop major heart or brain conditions following a traumatic event.
About 44,000 of the 2,19,866 participants experienced a non-fatal heart attack, non-fatal stroke, procedures to restore blood flow to the heart or cardiovascular death between 1995 and 2019.
Researchers compared 1,75,872 people who experienced a trauma but not a cardiovascular event to peers who experienced a heart attack, stroke, procedures to restore blood flow to the heart or cardiovascular death during the 24-year period.
A wide range of mental health conditions were considered as possible cardiovascular predictors, and machine learning was used to identify the 15 most important mental health disorder predictors of heart and brain outcomes.
Alcohol abuse was found to be the most important mental health risk linked to serious heart or brain conditions for men and women.
“For men and women, the most important psychiatric predictor of MACCE (major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events) was alcohol use disorders,” the authors wrote.
“After a traumatic life experience, individuals may turn to alcohol to cope and help manage their emotions. Over time, this new behaviour might develop into alcohol abuse, thus increasing their risk of a serious heart or brain condition,” Sumner said.
Mood disorders, including depression, were found to be strong indicators of post-traumatic psychiatric issues associated with cardiovascular outcomes for both men and women. However, mood disorders were a more prominent predictor for women, compared to men.
Psychological conditions that can arise after a traumatic event connected to a higher risk of heart and brain conditions in the future included PTSD, mental disorders caused by brain or physical issues, non-substance-induced confusion, different substance use disorders, personality disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders.
