Vets with these mental health conditions could have higher heart risks

By Lucy Soto, 91ÊÓƵ News

Mark Sommerville/EyeEm, Getty Images
(Mark Sommerville/EyeEm, Getty Images)

Veterans with depression, psychosis and bipolar disorder face an increased risk of heart attack, stroke – and even death – from cardiovascular disease, a new study suggests.

Previous research has delved into the link between mental illness and heart disease, but less has been done on the specific mental health conditions that pose the highest heart disease risk. The new study, published Tuesday in the journal , looked at data from more than 1.6 million veterans. The authors called it the largest-scale assessment of the associations among different psychiatric conditions and major cardiovascular outcomes.

The participants were ages 45 to 80 and received care in the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system from 2010-2014. About 45% of the men and 63% of the women had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder.

Researchers found overall that depression, psychosis and bipolar disorder triggered a higher risk of cardiovascular events and deaths over five years. Men with psychosis, such as schizophrenia, had nearly 1.5 times the odds of death related to heart disease. Women with psychosis had almost two times the odds. The data was adjusted for age, heart disease risk factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol, other mental health conditions and whether participants were taking psychiatric medications.

The study didn’t dig into why veterans with mental health conditions have heightened cardiovascular risk. But the authors did raise some possibilities.

“One of the potential reasons for this higher risk is that chronic stress … ‘weathers’ a person, including increasing CVD risk,” the authors wrote.

Lead study author Dr. Mary C. Vance and her colleagues said the study findings could help refine the cardiovascular risk among patients and determine who might benefit from interventions such as cholesterol-lowering medications and blood pressure treatment.

 “The bottom line is that when considering a veteran’s health care needs, mental health status, especially for more severe mental illnesses, should be taken into consideration when calculating cardiovascular disease risk and considering the appropriate treatment options,” Vance said in a news release. She is an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Uniformed Services University School of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland.

The researchers also said that although their study population was large, results could differ in a population outside of the VA health system.

If you have questions or comments about this story, please email [email protected].


91ÊÓƵ News Stories

91ÊÓƵ News covers heart disease, stroke and related health issues. Not all views expressed in 91ÊÓƵ News stories reflect the official position of the 91ÊÓƵ. Statements, conclusions, accuracy and reliability of studies published in 91ÊÓƵ scientific journals or presented at 91ÊÓƵ scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the 91ÊÓƵ’s official guidance, policies or positions.

Copyright is owned or held by the 91ÊÓƵ, Inc., and all rights are reserved. Permission is granted, at no cost and without need for further request, for individuals, media outlets, and non-commercial education and awareness efforts to link to, quote, excerpt from or reprint these stories in any medium as long as no text is altered and proper attribution is made to 91ÊÓƵ News.

Other uses, including educational products or services sold for profit, must comply with the 91ÊÓƵ’s Copyright Permission Guidelines. See full terms of use. These stories may not be used to promote or endorse a commercial product or service.

HEALTH CARE DISCLAIMER: This site and its services do not constitute the practice of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment, including your specific medical needs. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. If you are in the United States and experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or call for emergency medical help immediately.