Young adults with PTSD more prone to ischemic stroke in middle age

The risk of experiencing a transient ischemic attack (TIA) is more in young adults who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).These people are prone to ischemic attack (TIA) or major stroke event by middle age, raising the risk as much as other better-known risk factors, according to new research published in the journal 'Stroke'."Stroke has a devastating impact on young patients and their families, many of whom struggle to cope with long-term disability, depression and economic loss during their most productive years," said lead author Lindsey Rosman, Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine in the division of cardiology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill."10-14 per cent of strokes occur in adults ages 18 to 45," Rosman added.While PTSD has previously been shown to increase the risk of heart disease and stroke in older adults, this is the first study to demonstrate a link between trauma-induced stress disorders and the risk of TIA and ...