About 23 percent of veterans who fought in the Gulf War or Iraq and Afghanistan wars experienced a traumatic brain injury, and they face a significantly higher risk for heart attack along with those who have post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the American Heart Association.
Researchers analyzed national data between 1998 and 2014 from the Department of Veterans Affairs' Informatics and Computing Infrastructure, which included more than 1 million veterans. The study compared veterans with TBI or PTSD to those without the conditions and found veterans with TBI faced a 2.69-times higher heart attack risk, while veterans with PTSD faced a 1.82-times higher risk.
The study found some veterans in their 40s who had heart attacks — a surprising find, researchers told AHA.
"People in their 40s might not think they're at risk for heart disease, but the study is showing us that veterans with PTSD or TBI need to watch out," Rishi Sharma, MD, lead researcher, told AHA. "Medical professionals need to start screening and assessing them earlier than the general population and referring them to a cardiologist if needed."
The findings have not been peer-reviewed and will be presented Nov. 13 at the AHA's Scientific Sessions.