PTSD Increases Risk for Developing CVD and Diabetes

Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes because they are more prone to developing insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

 

In a retrospective study, electronic medical records were examined from the VA in 207,954 patients. Patients diagnosed with PTSD were compared to patients without PTSD to examine the incidence of insulin resistance (defined as triglyceride over HDL cholesterol ratio ≥3.8) and metabolic syndrome in PTSD patients. 

 

For a 2-year period, patients without known coronary artery disease and diabetes, with and without PTSD were studied. The patients had no difference in age, gender, lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, and conventional risk factors at baseline. 

 

The results found that PTSD patients had greater insulin resistance than non-PTSD patients at follow-up (34.8% vs. 19.3%; P=.00001). In addition, there were more PTSD patients with metabolic syndrome than those without PTSD (52.5% vs. 37.3%; P=.0001). PTSD patients in the study had a 14.20% incidence rate for insulin resistance and 12.007% for metabolic syndrome. The population risk for insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in PTSD patients was 49% and 41%, respectively.

 

From this study, researchers suggest that medical conditions, such as metabolic syndrome and CVD, warrant early detection and management in PTSD patients due to the higher risk of developing these conditions.