Affiliation:
1. Department of Consultation‐Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine University Hospital ZurichUniversity of Zurich Switzerland
2. Department of Cardiology Clinic Barmelweid Barmelweid Switzerland
3. Clienia Schlössli AG Oetwil am See, Zurich Switzerland
4. Complementary and Integrative Medicine University Hospital ZurichUniversity of Zurich Switzerland
5. Department of Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine University of Bern Switzerland
6. University of Zurich Switzerland
7. Department of Cardiology University Hospital ZurichUniversity of Zurich Switzerland
8. Cardiac Imaging Department of Nuclear Medicine University Hospital ZurichUniversity of Zurich Switzerland
Abstract
Background
Benzodiazepines and morphine are given during acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) to alleviate anxiety and pain, and β‐blockers may also reduce pain. ACS may induce posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (PTSS). When taken during trauma other than ACS, benzodiazepines increase the risk of PTSS, but it is unknown if benzodiazepines increase the risk of PTSS in ACS. We examined the effects of drug exposure during ACS on the development of PTSS.
Methods and Results
Study participants were 154 patients with a verified ACS. Baseline demographics, clinical variables, and psychological measures were obtained through a medical history, through a psychometric assessment, and from patient records, and used as covariates in linear regression analysis. Three months after ACS, the severity of PTSS was assessed with the Clinician‐Administered PTSD Scale. During ACS, 37.7% of patients were exposed to benzodiazepines, whereas 72.1% were exposed to morphine and 88.3% were exposed to β‐blockers, but only 7.1% were exposed to antidepressants. Eighteen (11.7%) patients developed clinical PTSD. Adjusting for all covariates, benzodiazepine use was significantly associated with the Clinician‐Administered PTSD Scale total severity score (unstandardized coefficient B [SE], 0.589 [0.274]; partial
r
=0.18;
P
=0.032) and the reexperiencing subscore (B [SE], 0.433 [0.217]; partial
r
=0.17;
P
=0.047). Patients exposed to benzodiazepines had an almost 4‐fold increased relative risk of developing clinical PTSD, adjusting for acute stress disorder symptoms (odds ratio, 3.75; 95% CI, 1.31–10.77). Morphine, β‐blockers, and antidepressants showed no predictive value.
Conclusions
Notwithstanding short‐term antianxiety effects during ACS, benzodiazepine use might increase the risk of ACS‐induced PTSS with clinical significance, thereby compromising patients' quality of life and prognosis.
Registration
URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT01781247.
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Subject
Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Cited by
3 articles.
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