Association Found Between Stroke and PTSD in Women Veterans

A significant association was found between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and incident stroke in women veterans, according to findings presented in a poster at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2022 in Chicago, Illinois.

PTSD has been previously associated with ischemic heart disease in women veterans. However, research on the association between PTSD and other cardiovascular disorders is still limited, with most studies focused on men. Consequently, researchers centered women veterans in their examination of the connection between PTSD and stroke.

Related: In Combat Veterans With PTSD, Neurons React Differently to Stress

The study included 398,769 patients, 132,293 with PTSD and 265,846 matched patients without PTSD. Veterans Affairs (VA) records were used to identify participants, who were then matched for age, risk factors (such as diabetes, hypertension, and psychiatric disorders), and number of visits. Cox regression was used to measure stroke as a function of PTSD.

PTSD was significantly associated with greater rates of incident stroke (hazard ratio [HR]=1.64, 95% confidence interval: 1.43-1.86, p<.001).

“These results point to a strong association of PTSD with incident stroke in women veterans. Further research is indicated to assess the association of PTSD with a broader range of cardiovascular disorders,” researchers concluded.

Reference

Ebrahimi R, Dennis P, Shroyer AL, et al. Association of posttraumatic stress disorder with stroke in women veterans. Poster presented at The American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2022; November 5-7, 2022; Chicago, Illinois.