A prospective study of posttraumatic stress symptoms and nonadherence in survivors of a myocardial infarction (MI)

• Published in: General hospital psychiatry 2001-07, Vol.23 (4), p.215-222
• Main Authors: Shemesh, Eyal, Rudnick, Abraham, Kaluski, Edo, Milovanov, Olga, Salah, Ahmed, Alon, Daniela, Dinur, Irit, Blatt, Alex, Metzkor, Mikael, Golik, Ahuva, Verd, Zvi, Cotter, Gad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aged; Anxiety disorders. Neuroses; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology. Vascular system; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Heart; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction - mortality; Myocardial Infarction - psychology; Myocardial Infarction - therapy; Myocarditis. Cardiomyopathies; Nonadherence; Patient Compliance - statistics & numerical data; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Prospective Studies; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; PTSD; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology; Survival Rate; Survivors - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 0163-8343; 1873-7714
• DOI: 10.1016/S0163-8343(01)00150-5

We examined a novel hypothesis that links symptoms of MI-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to nonadherence. According to this hypothesis, patients who are traumatized by their medical illness do not take their medications as prescribed. As a part of the avoidance dimension of PTSD, patients who are traumatized may avoid being reminded of the MI by not taking the medication. MI survivors were prospectively followed for 6 months to 1 year. Adherence was assessed by pill count of Captopril. Demographic variables, medical risk factors, PTSD, and other psychiatric symptom dimensions were evaluated during follow-up. One hundred two of 140 recruited patients completed follow-up. Nonadherence to Captopril was associated with poor medical outcome ( r=.93, P=.006). Above-Threshold PTSD symptoms were associated with nonadherence to medications ( P=.05). No other psychiatric symptom dimensions were independently associated with nonadherence. Nonadherence to medications predicts adverse outcome during the first year after an acute MI. Nonadherence is associated with PTSD symptoms, which may either be a marker for or a cause of nonadherence. Treatment of PTSD may prove to be a useful approach for improving adherence.