Categories:Heart News
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Published: September 02, 2026
- A large study in Denmark suggests that people who were diagnosed with a variety of psychiatric disorders after traumatic events were more likely to have increased future cardiovascular risks, such as non-fatal heart attack and stroke or cardiovascular death, compared to those who did not have mental health issues after a traumatic event.
- While alcohol abuse after trauma was the top psychiatric predictor for future cardiovascular risks among both men and women, mood disorders, such as depression, were more prominent predictors among women who experienced trauma.
Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET Wed., Sept. 2, 2026
DALLAS, Sept. 2, 2026 — Mental health conditions, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, depression and anxiety, can develop after people experience trauma. These conditions may contribute to a higher risk of future cardiovascular risks, such as non-fatal heart attack and stroke or cardiovascular death, according to new, independent research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.
“Traumatic events are common experiences and can include serious fires or explosions, physical assault, transportation accidents, the suicide or death of a loved one, and severe medical illnesses or injuries,” said lead study author Jennifer A. Sumner, Ph.D., an associate professor in the department of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. “Experiencing traumatic events can significantly affect mental health as well as cardiovascular health. Although most work to date has focused on PTSD and cardiovascular health, our research suggests that we should think about a wide range of mental health consequences when looking at cardiovascular disease risk after trauma.”
Researchers examined national health registries in Denmark to study how a variety of diagnosed mental health conditions that occurred within three years after a traumatic event were linked to cardiovascular death, heart attacks, strokes or procedures to restore blood flow to the heart
They conducted a study of adults who did and did not develop major heart or brain conditions following a traumatic event. The goal was to find out which mental health conditions after trauma exposure were the strongest indicators of subsequent cardiovascular outcomes, including procedures to restore blood flow to the heart, heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death, separately in men and women. A wide range of mental health conditions were considered as possible cardiovascular predictors, and machine learning was used to identify the 15 most important mental health disorder predictors of these heart and brain outcomes.
The analysis found:
- Alcohol abuse was the most important mental health risk linked to serious heart or brain conditions for men and women.
- Mood disorders, like depression, were strong indicators of posttraumatic psychiatric issues associated with cardiovascular outcomes for both men and women. However, these mood disorders were a more prominent predictor for women than for men.
- Other psychological conditions that can arise after trauma exposure that were connected to a higher risk of heart and brain conditions in the future included PTSD, mental disorders caused by brain or physical issues, non-substance-induced confusion, different substance use disorders, personality disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders.
Researchers were surprised to find that alcohol abuse was the top psychiatric predictor of serious heart and brain conditions for both men and women
“After a traumatic life experience, individuals may turn to alcohol to cope and help manage their emotions,” Sumner said. “Over time, this new behavior might develop into alcohol abuse, thus increasing their risk of a serious heart or brain condition.”
Glenn N. Levine, M.D., FAHA, chair of the 2025 American Heart Association scientific statement Post–Myocardial Infarction Psychological Distress writing group, said, “Traumatic experiences which lead to mental health disorders can have lasting effects on the risk of developing heart disease. By recognizing trauma, seeking mental health support and managing cardiovascular risk factors, we may help mitigate this risk.” Levine, who was not involved in this study, is also master clinician and a professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and Cardiology Section Chief at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, both in Houston. “This study provides additional data emphasizing the links and interdependence between psychological and cardiovascular health and risk.”
“This study is unique in that it covers a wide range of traumatic experiences and considers a variety of mental health conditions that can start after these events as potential predictors of cardiovascular disease,” Sumner said. “Ultimately, recognizing and treating a variety of psychiatric conditions resulting from trauma is important, and it may have positive effects on both mental and cardiovascular health over the long term.”
Study details, background, design and limitations:
- The study examined health data for 219,866 adults in Denmark aged 18 and older from 1995 to 2019.
- 43,994 of the 219,866 participants experienced a non-fatal heart attack, non-fatal stroke, procedures to restore blood flow to the heart or cardiovascular death between 1995 and 2019.
- The researchers compared 175,872 people who experienced a trauma but not a cardiovascular event to peers who experienced a heart attack, stroke, procedures to restore blood flow to the heart or cardiovascular death during the 24-year period.
- The national health system in Denmark provides free healthcare for all residents, and the results from this analysis of people in Denmark may not apply to other groups of people living in other countries or regions. Another limitation is that the study did not explore why individuals with these posttraumatic mental disorders may have an increased risk of cardiovascular problems.
Co-authors, disclosures and funding
Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content and policy positions. Overall financial information is available here.
Additional Resources:
- Multimedia is available on the right column of release link.
- After Sept. 2, view the manuscript online.
- American Heart Association scientific statement news release: Psychological distress common after a heart attack, may lead to future heart conditions (Sept. 2025)
- American Heart Association news release: Depression, anxiety and stress linked to poor heart health in two new studies (Nov. 2023)
- American Heart Association news release: Mental wellness is important for a healthy heart and brain (May 2023)
- American Heart Association scientific statement: Psychological Health, Well-Being, and the Mind-Heart-Body Connection (Jan. 2021)
- American Heart Association health information: Understanding how stress affects the body
- Follow American Heart Association/American Stroke Association news on X @HeartNews
- Follow news from the Journal of the American Heart Associationon X @JAHA_AHA
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