In a separate talk at the meeting, Dr. Edmondson presented data that also implicated PTSD in exacerbating coronary artery disease. He and his associates studied 261 patients hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome. One month following their event, 39 (15%) of the patients scored high on a screen for intrusions symptoms, one of the three symptom clusters that define PTSD. During an average follow-up of 42 months, the patients with a high number of intrusions had a statistically significant, threefold higher rate of either a repeat acute coronary syndrome event or death that was independent of other prognostic factors.
Dr. Ebrahimi and Dr. Edmondson said they had no disclosures.