Psychological trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder and acute coronary syndrome: A synthesis of literature data

The objective of this article is to present a synthesis of studies on the links between psychological trauma and myocardial infarction. In recent years, many studies have demonstrated a two-way link between manifestations of post-traumatic stress disorder [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)] and myocardial infarction (MI). In other words, the occurrence of this cardiac event can be traumatic for some people and lead to the development of PTSD. Conversely, suffering from PTSD appears to be a major risk factor for acute coronary artery disease. Further, studies show that potentially traumatic life events experienced in childhood are also associated with a significant increase in the risk of ischemic heart disease in adulthood. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.