People who have had to deal with severe emotional upsets, including rapes, assault and other physical abuse are at an increased risk for a psychological condition called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Symptoms can range from troubling to life altering and can include things like nightmares, flashbacks, detachment or extreme avoidance. Other symptoms like loss of appetite and more can be seen as well. Researchers have now linked PTSD symptoms to heart attack survivors as well. Estimates suggest that at least one in every eight heart attack survivor may be at an extreme risk for the condition, but even more might show at least some symptoms. As much as four percent of people who have had heart attacks may be able to fit the PTSD criteria. What is important to note about this new research is that it also showed that people who have survived a heart attack and then were diagnosed with PTSD were at a higher risk of dying in the next three years.

The study, published in the journal, PLoS ONE, looked at data from just over two thousand people who were all diagnosed with a condition called acute coronary syndrome or ACS. In that condition, blood flow that would normally go to the heart is greatly diminished. Just over one million people with ACS are discharged from hospitals across the US every year. Researchers, basing their numbers on the results of their study estimate that that means 168,000 people with ACS are also likely to have PTSD symptoms. Research was led and authored by Donald Edmondson, PhD. an Assistant Professor of Behavioral Medicine at Colombia University.

Edmondson warns that it is likely that the numbers for heart attack patients with PTSD is much higher because many of them are never diagnosed at all. Psychiatric disorders are usually over looked or misdiagnosed, especially when a serious physical conditions take the forefront. Edmondson said of all of the medical specialties, cardiovascular patients might be at the highest risk for psychological disorders but may also have the lowest rate of diagnosis.

People who have PTSD can receive many types of therapy, depending on their needs. In the case of heart attack survivors personal counseling as well as family based therapy might be suggested because it helps the patient to work through their fears while helping the family to understand what is going on with their loved one. There are other treatment options including medications and more that can be considered.