News and new developments pertaining to health related issues and trauma (PTSD) from abuse

News and New Developments Pertaining to Health Related Issues and Trauma (PTSD) From Abuse

Traumatic events take toll on the heart
New study links traumatic experiences with increased risk of heart disease, especially after the menopause transition

-- from Science Daily (original article from The North American Menopause Society)

excerpt from article:

The result was that women reporting a higher number of traumatic experiences (three or more) had poorer endothelial function which can make them more susceptible to a cardiac incident. For purposes of this study, traumatic experiences were defined as events such as sexual harassment, death of a child, being in a car accident, experiencing a natural disaster, or being beaten or mugged.
"These findings underscore the importance of psychosocial factors, such as trauma exposure, in the development of heart disease risk in midlife women," says Dr. Rebecca Thurston, lead author of the study from the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine.