PTSD linked to heart disease

This article from Army Times ought to interest readers of this blog:

A groundbreaking study of 1,946 male veterans of World War II and Korea suggests that vets with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder are at greater risk of heart attacks as they age.

The new study is the first to document a link between PTSD symptoms and future heart disease, and joins existing evidence that vets with PTSD also have more autoimmune diseases such as arthritis and psoriasis.

A second study, funded by the Army, found that soldiers returning from combat in Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder reported worse physical health, more doctor visits and more missed workdays. The Army study is based on a survey of 2,863 soldiers one year after combat.

I'm tempted to just post the entire story, but you can read the whole thing here.

I can't resist quoting one more segment, though:

Dr. Gary J. Kennedy, director of geriatric psychiatry at Montefiore Medical Center, called the study “impressive.” He said one symptom of PTSD is avoiding activity, which could account for some of the effect on the heart.

. . .

“We’ve got a whole generation of veterans coming back [from Iraq and Afghanistan] and their health needs are just going to be tremendous,” Kennedy said.

Oh well, if they want to be able to pay for their own health care, they'll just have to go out and get three jobs. I have it on good authority that to do so is uniquely American.