PTSD May Heighten Cardiovascular Risk

Though the correlation between PTSD and cardiovascular risk has been previously researched, it is not well understood. A recent study appearing in Psychosomatic Medicine explores the association between PTSD and coagulation activity. The study included a group of patients diagnosed with PTSD and an age- and gender-matched group of subjects who had experienced trauma but were not diagnosed with PTSD. All subjects were assessed for the resting plasma levels of clotting component VII activity (FVII:C), FVIII:C, FXII:C, fibrinogen, and D-dimer. Researchers also evaluated variables such as demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, lifestyle, time since occurrence of trauma, and mood. No individual relationships were found between PTSD and FVII:C, fibrinogen, and D-dimer; however, PTSD symptom severity and hyperarousal severity were correlated with FVIII:C in all subjects. Hyperarousal severity and PTSD severity were correlated with fibrinogen in PTSD patients. http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/content/abstract/68/4/598