Association of acute coronary syndrome-induced posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms with self-reported sleep

Abstract

Background: Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are associated with recurrent ACS events and mortality. Poor sleep may be a mechanism, but the association between PTSD and sleep after ACS is unknown. Purpose: This study aims to estimate the association between ACS-induced PTSD symptoms and self-reported sleep. Methods: ACS-induced PTSD symptoms were assessed 1-month post-ACS in 188 adults using the Impact of Events Scale-Revised. Sleep was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Linear and logistic regression models were used to determine whether PTSD symptoms were associated with self-reported sleep, independent of sociodemographic and clinical covariates. Results: In adjusted models, ACS-induced PTSD symptoms were associated with worse overall sleep (β = 0.22, p = 0.003) and greater impairment in six of seven components of sleep (all p values <0.05). Conclusions: ACS-induced PTSD symptoms may be associated with poor sleep, which may explain why PTSD confers increased cardiovascular risk after ACS. © 2013 The Society of Behavioral Medicine.