This study will test whether endothelial dysfunction could be the early subclinical mechanism by which posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, and whether posttraumatic fear-a key component of PTSD-or another PTSD dimension could be the target to offset that risk. The results of this study may help trauma-exposed individuals who are at risk of having CVD events.
Key Dimensions of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Endothelial Dysfunction (ED)
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases risk of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) by 25-50%. Most individuals (50-90%) experience a traumatic event in their lifetime, and PTSD is the fifth most common psychiatric disorder. Experts have now called for increased CVD surveillance after trauma and for PTSD treatment trials powered to reduce CVD risk. However, both CVD risk and PTSD are complex phenomena that likely interact in nuanced ways. This study will determine which PTSD dimension(s) contribute to endothelial dysfunction, one of the earliest modifiable precursors to CVD. The investigators will examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of PTSD and its underlying dimensions with functional and, secondarily, cellular measures of endothelial dysfunction (FMD and circulating endothelial cell-derived microparticles, respectively) in a community-dwelling sample of CVD-free adult men and women with a history of trauma (50% with current PTSD).
