Psychological Distress After Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Its Impact on Recovery.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize the prevalence, correlates, and health consequences of poor mental health in the increasingly sizable population of survivors of Sudden cardiac arrest (CA) and to describe current intervention research in this area. RECENT FINDINGS: After CA many patients report high psychological distress, including depression, generalized anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. Emerging evidence suggests that distressed patients' attention may narrow such that anxious awareness of afferent cardiac signals e.g., changes in heart rate or blood pressure, becomes predominant and a cause for concerned, constant monitoring. This cardiac-specific anxiety followed by behavioral avoidance and physiological hyperreactivity may increase patients' already high risk of secondary cardiovascular disease and undermine their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Unlike other cardiovascular diseases, no clinical practice guidelines exist for assessing or treating psychological sequelae of CA. Future research should identify modifiable psychological targets to reduce secondary cardiovascular disease risk and improve HRQoL.

Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms after respiratory and cardiovascular emergencies predict risk of hospital readmission: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Twenty-five percent of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) for a respiratory or cardiovascular medical emergency develop clinically significant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. It is possible that development of PTSD symptoms in this cohort is associated with subsequent adverse physical health events. Our objective was to test whether clinically significant PTSD symptoms 30 days postdischarge are associated with increased risk for hospital readmission within 24 months after discharge among patients presenting to the ED for a respiratory or cardiovascular emergency. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study conducted between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020, at a U.S. academic medical center, including adult patients presenting with acute respiratory failure or cardiovascular instability requiring a potentially life-sustaining intervention in the ED. PTSD symptoms 30 days postdischarge were measured using the PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5. The primary outcome was all-cause hospital readmission over the subsequent 24 months after hospital discharge from the index ED visit. RESULTS: Of the 99 patients included, 73% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 63% to 81%) had a hospital readmission within 24 months. In a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model adjusting for potential confounders (e.g., age, severity of illness during index ED visit, preexisting comorbid conditions) presence of clinically significant PTSD symptoms at 30 days was independently associated with increased risk for all-cause hospital readmission at 24 months (hazards ratio = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.30 to 3.69). These results remained statistically significant across multiple sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital readmission is common among survivors of acute respiratory failure and cardiovascular instability, and PTSD symptoms 30 days postdischarge are an independent predictor of hospital readmission. Survivors of medical emergencies may warrant follow-up evaluation for PTSD symptoms, and future research is warranted to better understand the relationship between psychological trauma and hospital readmission.

Association Between Perceived Threat and the Development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in Patients With Life-threatening Medical Emergencies.

BACKGROUND: Our objectives were to test whether during a potentially life-threatening medical emergency, perceived threat (a patient's sense of life endangerment) in the emergency department (ED) is common and associated with the subsequent development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. METHODS: This study was an ED-based prospective cohort study in an academic hospital. We included adult patients requiring acute intervention in the ED for resuscitation of a potentially life-threatening medical emergency, defined as respiratory or cardiovascular instability. We measured patient-perceived threat in the ED using a validated patient self-assessment measure (score range = 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating greater perceived threat). We performed blinded assessment of PTSD symptoms 30 days after discharge using the PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (PCL-5). RESULTS: Ninety-nine of 113 (88%) patients completed follow-up, with 98% reporting some degree of perceived threat, median (interquartile range [IQR]) perceived threat score 12 (6 to 17), and 72% reported PTSD symptoms in relation to their ED visit (median [IQR] PCL-5 score = 7 [0 to 30]). Patients with respiratory instability had higher median (IQR) perceived threat scores (16 [9 to 18] vs. 9 [6 to 14)] and PCL-5 scores (10 [2 to 40] vs. 3 [0 to 17]) compared to patients without respiratory instability. In a multivariable linear regression model adjusting for potential confounders, greater perceived threat in the ED was independently associated with higher PCL-5 scores (ß = 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.15 to 1.42). Among the individual perceived threat items, the feeling of helplessness during resuscitation had the strongest association with PCL-5 score (ß = 5.24, 95% CI = 2.29 to 8.18). CONCLUSIONS: Perceived threat during potentially life-threatening emergencies is common and independently associated with development of PTSD symptoms. Additional research to test whether reduction of perceived threat in the ED attenuates the development of PTSD symptoms following potentially life-threatening emergencies is warranted.

Healthcare provider compassion is associated with lower PTSD symptoms among patients with life-threatening medical emergencies: a prospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: We tested the hypothesis that, during a life-threatening medical emergency, patient perception of healthcare provider (HCP) compassion is associated with the subsequent development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. METHODS: Prospective cohort study in the emergency department (ED) of an urban academic medical center. We included adult patients presenting with a life-threatening medical emergency, defined as respiratory or cardiovascular instability requiring a potentially life-sustaining intervention in the ED. We measured patient perception of HCP compassion in the ED using the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure, a validated 40-point scale. Blinded to clinical outcomes (including the CARE measure), we assessed PTSD symptoms 1 month post-discharge using the PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5. RESULTS: Of the 99/113 (88%) patients who completed follow-up, 25% (95% CI 17-35%) had PTSD symptoms at 1 month. In a multivariable model adjusting for potential confounders (e.g. severity of illness score in ED, need for intensive care unit admission, ED overcrowding, and family member emotional support in the ED), patient perception of greater HCP compassion in the ED was independently associated with lower PTSD symptoms at 1 month [odds ratio 0.93 (95% CI 0.89-0.98)]. A one-point increase in the CARE measure was associated with a 7% decrease in the odds of developing PTSD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: PTSD symptoms are common among ED patients with life-threatening medical emergencies. Patient perception of greater HCP compassion during the emergency is independently associated with lower risk of developing PTSD symptoms.

Attention to threat in posttraumatic stress disorder as indexed by eye-tracking indices: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) implicate threat-related attentional biases in the etiology and phenomenology of the disorder. However, extant attentional research using reaction time (RT)-based paradigms and measures has yielded mixed results. Eye-tracking methodology has emerged in recent years to overcome several inherent drawbacks of RT-based tasks, striving to better delineate attentional processes. METHODS: A systematic review of experimental studies examining threat-related attention biases in PTSD, using eye-tracking methodology and group-comparison designs, was conducted conforming to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies were selected following a systematic search for publications between 1980 and December 2017 in PsycINFO, MEDLINE and the National Center for PTSD Research's Published International Literature on Traumatic Stress (PILOTS) database. Additional records were identified by employing the Similar Articles feature in PubMed, and the Cited Reference Search in ISI Web of Science. Reference sections of review articles, book chapters and studies selected for inclusion were searched for further studies. Ongoing studies were also sought through Clinicaltrials.gov. RESULTS: A total of 11 studies (n = 456 participants in total) were included in the final review. Results indicated little support for enhanced threat detection, hypervigilance and attentional avoidance. However, consistent evidence emerged for sustained attention on threat (i.e. attention maintenance) in PTSD. CONCLUSIONS: This review is the first to systematically evaluate extant findings in PTSD emanating from eye-tracking studies employing group-comparison designs. Results suggest that sustained attention on threat might serve as a potential target for therapeutic intervention.

Identifying targets for cardiovascular medication adherence interventions through latent class analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Reasons for nonadherence to cardiovascular medications vary widely between individuals. Yet, adherence interventions are often uniformly applied, limiting their effectiveness. This study employed latent class analysis (LCA) to identify multidimensional profiles of reasons for nonadherence to cardiovascular medications. METHOD: Participants (N = 137; MAge = 58.8, SDAge = 11.8) were drawn from an observational study of the impact of cardiac-induced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on cardiac medication adherence in patients presenting to the emergency department with a suspected acute coronary syndrome. Demographics and depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline. Extent of nonadherence to cardiovascular medications, reasons for nonadherence, and PTSD symptoms were assessed 1 month after discharge. RESULTS: LCA identified 3 classes of reasons for medication nonadherence: capacity (related to routine or forgetting; approximately 45% of the sample), capacity + motivation (related to routine/forgetting plus informational or psychological barriers; approximately 14% of the sample), and no clear reasons (low probability of endorsing any items; approximately 41% of the sample). Participants reporting greater nonadherence were more likely to be in the capacity + motivation or no clear reasons classes compared with the capacity class. Participants endorsing higher PTSD severity were more likely to be in the capacity + motivation or capacity classes compared with the no clear reasons class. CONCLUSIONS: Three distinct classes of reasons for nonadherence were identified, suggesting opportunities for tailored interventions: capacity, capacity + motivation, and no clear reasons. These preliminary findings, if replicated, could aid identification of patients at risk for greater extent of medication nonadherence and inform tailored interventions to improve adherence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Perceived Stress After Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Comparison Between Young and Middle-Aged Women Versus Men.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to examine how psychological stress changes over time in young and middle-aged patients after experiencing an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and whether these changes differ between men and women. METHODS: We analyzed data obtained from 2358 women and 1151 men aged 18 to 55 years hospitalized for AMI. Psychological stress was measured using the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) at initial hospitalization and at 1 month and 12 months after AMI. We used linear mixed-effects models to examine changes in PSS-14 scores over time and sex differences in these changes, while adjusting for patient characteristics and accounting for correlation among repeated observations within patients. RESULTS: Overall, patients' perceived stress decreased over time, especially during the first month after AMI. Women had higher levels of perceived stress than men throughout the 12-month period (difference in PSS-14 score = 3.63, 95% confidence interval = 3.08 to 4.18, p < .001), but they did not differ in how stress changed over time. Adjustment for patient characteristics did not alter the overall pattern of sex difference in changes of perceived stress over time other than attenuating the magnitude of sex difference in PSS-14 score (difference between women and men = 1.74, 95% confidence interval = 1.32 to 2.16, p < .001). The magnitude of sex differences in perceived stress was similar in patients with versus without post-AMI angina, even though patients with angina experienced less improvement in PSS-14 score than those without angina. CONCLUSIONS: In young and middle-aged patients with AMI, women reported higher levels of perceived stress than men throughout the first 12 months of recovery. However, women and men had a similar pattern in how perceived stress changed over time.

Risk for Incident Hypertension Associated With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Military Veterans and the Effect of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular mortality risk. Neither the prospective relationship of PTSD to incident hypertension risk nor the effect of PTSD treatment on hypertension risk has been established. METHODS: Data from a nationally representative sample of 194,319 veterans were drawn from the Veterans Administration (VA) roster of United States service men and women. This included veterans whose end of last deployment was from September 2001 to July 2010 and whose first VA medical visit was from October 1, 2001 to January 1, 2009. Incident hypertension was modeled as 3 events: (1) a new diagnosis of hypertension and/or (2) a new prescription for antihypertensive medication, and/or (3) a clinic blood pressure reading in the hypertensive range (≥140/90 mm Hg, systolic/diastolic). Posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis was the main predictor. Posttraumatic stress disorder treatment was defined as (1) at least 8 individual psychotherapy sessions of 50 minutes or longer during any consecutive 6 months and/or (2) a prescription for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medication. RESULTS: Over a median 2.4-year follow-up, the incident hypertension risk independently associated with PTSD ranged from hazard ratio (HR), 1.12 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-1.17; p < .0001) to HR, 1.30 (95% CI, 1.26-1.34; p < .0001). The interaction of PTSD and treatment revealed that treatment reduced the PTSD-associated hypertension risk (e.g., from HR, 1.44 [95% CI, 1.38-1.50; p < .0001] for those untreated, to HR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.15-1.25; p < .0001] for those treated). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that reducing the long-term health impact of PTSD and the associated costs may require very early surveillance and treatment.

Relations among depressive symptoms, electrocardiographic hypertrophy, and cardiac events in non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome patients.

AIMS: Cardiac outcomes after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are worse in patients with depression, but identifying which depressed patients are at increased risk, and by what means, remains difficult. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed inpatient electrocardiograms (ECGs) from 955 patients admitted with non-ST elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS) in the Prescription Use, Lifestyle, and Stress Evaluation (PULSE) study. Patients with QRS duration ⩾120 ms or whose rhythm was not normal sinus were excluded (sample size=769). Depressive symptoms were measured by Beck Depression Inventory score ⩾10. ECG markers included Cornell product-left ventricular hypertrophy (CP-LVH) and strain pattern in the lateral leads. In multivariable logistic regression models, depressive symptoms were associated with increased odds of CP-LVH, ECG-strain, and the combination of the two (odds ratios 1.74-2.33, p values <0.01). The combination of both CP-LVH and ECG-strain was predictive of one-year risk of myocardial infarction (MI) or death among patients with depressive symptoms (hazard ratio 4.91, 95% CI 1.55-15.61, p=0.007), but not among those without depressive symptoms (p value for interaction 0.043). CONCLUSION: In our non-ST elevation (NSTE)-ACS cohort, ECG markers of hypertrophy were both more common, and more predictive of MI/mortality, among those with depressive symptoms. Cardiac hypertrophy is a potential target for therapy to improve outcomes among depressed NSTE-ACS patients.

Key barriers to medication adherence in survivors of strokes and transient ischemic attacks.

BACKGROUND: Even though medications can greatly reduce the risk of recurrent stroke, medication adherence is suboptimal in stroke survivors. OBJECTIVE: To identify key barriers to medication adherence in a predominantly low-income, minority group of stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) survivors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred stroke or TIA survivors, age ≥ 40 years old, recruited from underserved communities in New York City. MAIN MEASURES: Medication adherence was measured using the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Questionnaire. Potential barriers to adherence were assessed using validated instruments. Logistic regression was used to test which barriers were independently associated with adherence. Models were additionally controlled for age, race/ethnicity, income, and comorbidity. KEY RESULTS: Forty percent of participants had poor self-reported medication adherence. In unadjusted analyses, compared to adherent participants, non-adherent participants had increased concerns about medications (26 % versus 7 %, p < 0.001), low trust in their personal doctor (42 % versus 29 %, p = 0.001), problems communicating with their doctor due to language (19 % versus 12 %, p = 0.02), perceived discrimination from the health system (42 % versus 22 %, p < 0.001), difficulty accessing health care (16 % versus 8 %, p = 0.002), and inadequate continuity of care (27 % versus 20 %, p = 0.05). In the fully adjusted model, only increased concerns about medications [OR 5.02 (95 % CI 2.76, 9.11); p < 0.001] and perceived discrimination [OR 1.85 (95 % CI 1.18, 2.90); p = 0.008] remained significant barriers. CONCLUSIONS: Increased concerns about medications (related to worry, disruption, long-term effects, and medication dependence) and perceived discrimination were the most important barriers to medication adherence in this group. Interventions that reduce medication concerns have the greatest potential to improve medication adherence in low-income stroke/TIA survivors.