Emotional stress increases toll in cardiacs

11:30 • 22.06.12



The emotional toll of a heart attack can be so severe that an estimated 1 in 8 patients who survive the experience develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), new research, has found.


While it has long been known that a heart attack affects both physical and mental health, most doctors and patients are not aware that the emotional stress of a life-threatening heart event can develop into full-blown PTSD, Chron.con reports, citing the study.


The disorder, which more typically affects combat veterans and victims of violent crime, can be particularly insidious in heart patients, who live with constant trepidation about their own bodies, frequently paying anxious attention to each heartbeat or twinge of chest discomfort.


While several small studies have suggested PTSD is an issue for heart patients, most have been too small to reach any meaningful conclusions.


In the new report, researchers from Columbia University Medical Center combined the results of 24 studies that had documented post-traumatic stress in a total of 2,383 heart patients.

Their analysis, published online in the journal "PLoS One", found not only that PTSD after a heart attack was far more common than previously believed but also that the disorder doubled the risk of dying of a second event over the next one to three years, compared with those who did not have PTSD.


Symptoms of the disorder include frequent intrusive thoughts about the stressful event, nightmares and sleep problems and anxiety, among others. An estimated 1.4 million patients are discharged from hospitals in the United States each year after a heart attack or other acute coronary event. The study suggests 168,000 develop PTSD.
 

Armenian News - Tert.am





LATEST NEWSAll Today news

16:11 • 19/06

World’s biggest TV goes on sale in Europe

16:01 • 19/06

Yerkrapah union law signal to Azerbaijan – Armenian MP

15:50 • 19/06

Farmers must not lose hope – businessman

15:20 • 19/06

Chief of Armenia’s police withholds comments on Goris incident

15:12 • 19/06

Armenia’s Doctor of Year to be named on Jun. 21

14:53 • 19/06

9-year-old Armenian child needs help for treatment abroad

14:39 • 19/06

Over 100 reported killed in North India flood

14:31 • 19/06

Belgium may legalize child Euthanasia

14:20 • 19/06

Economy Ministry denies report on holding costly working dinner

13:53 • 19/06

Nagorno-Karabakh MP hails co-chairing states’ interest in conflict settlement

13:36 • 19/06

Karabakh conflict poses regional threat – Azeri MP

13:02 • 19/06

Armenian MP links offshore scandal to country’s narrow borders

12:48 • 19/06

Armenian midfielder Mkhitaryan owns 50% of his transfer rights

12:32 • 19/06

OSCE chair meets Georgian officials

12:07 • 19/06

Javakhk-Armenian businessman makes calls for unity

10:30 • 19/06

Azeri state oil venture sets eye on Greek DESFA

10:23 • 19/06

Fire in Martiros Saryan house museum

10:12 • 19/06

I ‘Can't Believe It’, Kim Kardashian says on newborn baby

10:06 • 19/06

World refugees' number tops 7 million

09:45 • 19/06

Turkish PM vows to increase police force

09:28 • 19/06

'Hoff' yeti crab hitched on ocean super-highway

09:19 • 19/06

Zhoghovurd: Armenia’s economy ministry spends AMD 0.5m on working dinner with EU officials

09:10 • 19/06

Hraparak: Armenian president spending summer in Germany

08:45 • 19/06

Foreign Policy: 'Lonely' Putin dominates G8 Summit

08:37 • 19/06

US House Republicans pass abortion-limits bill

22:01 • 18/06

Key suspect of Hrant Dink murder case arrested

21:43 • 18/06

Earthquake on Armenian-Georgian border

21:25 • 18/06

Armenia’s parliament approves bill on homeland-defenders

21:08 • 18/06

Man arrested by police, after threatening death plunge off Eiffel Tower

20:56 • 18/06

G8 leaders agree on ‘political solution’ to the Syria conflict

20:32 • 18/06

Businessman Ashot Sukiasyan on ‘wanted’ list

19:37 • 18/06

Armenian FM comments joint statement on Nagorno-Karabakh by the Heads of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries

19:09 • 18/06

Russia, U.S., French leaders issues joint statement on Nagorno-Karabakh

19:07 • 18/06

Colonel Artak Budaghyan recovering

18:53 • 18/06

Conflict in Armenia’s parliament: journalist calls MP ‘tramp’

17:37 • 18/06

Opposition Armenian MP lashes out at premier, parliament speaker, ex-minister

16:28 • 18/06

Armenia’s voters must fight against authorities, not support them – MP



ArmeniaRegionPress digestWorldBusinessEventScience/techCultureSportsLifestyle