Posttraumatic stress disorder and dyslipidemia: Previous research and novel findings from patients with PTSD caused by myocardial infarction

Abstract

Objectives. Based on a brief systematic review suggesting dyslipidemia in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we studied, for the first time, levels of blood lipids in patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of PTSD caused by myocardial infarction (MI). Methods. Study participants were eight patients with full PTSD, eight patients with subsyndromal PTSD, and 31 patients with no PTSD who were diagnosed using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) interview after a mean of 32±8 months after MI. Levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were determined in plasma. Results. Patients with full PTSD had lower HDL-C than patients with subsyndromal PTSD (P= 0.044) and those with no PTSD (P= 0.014) controlling for sex, body mass index, and statin equivalent dosage. Moreover, HDL-C levels were inversely associated with PTSD total symptoms (r = −0.33, P= 0.027), re-experiencing symptoms (r = −0.32, P= 0.036), and avoidance symptoms (r = −0.34, P= 0.025). There were no significant associations of PTSD diagnostic status and symptomatology with the three other lipid measures. Conclusion. Chronic PTSD caused by MI was associated with lower plasma levels of HDL-C. The finding concurs with the notion of dyslipidemia partially underlying the atherosclerotic risk in individuals with PTSD caused by different types of trauma.

Key words::

• Cardiovascular disease
• lipids
• myocardial infarction
• posttraumatic stress disorder
• psychological stress

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Sabrina Imhasly, Cédric Lehner, Annette Kocher, Verena Mast, Edith Matz and Iris Stamm for technical and editorial support.

Statement of interest

None to declare.