Heart Disease Risk Following Mental Disorders

This is the second in a series looking at the recent study of physical illness in those with a diagnosis of a mental disorder.

Today, I am published a chart of the mental disorders associated with increased risk for report of heart disease at a later time.

Alcohol and drug dependence diagnoses are associated with the highest risk of later heart disease. The odds ratio estimates this increase at better two and three times higher than those without an alcohol or drug dependence diagnosis.

Two specific anxiety disorder conditions also show association with later heart disease, panic disorder and PTSD.

Additionally, bulimia nervosa and bipolar disorder also show greater rates of heart disease although these associations are at around 60% to 80% higher rates.

These associations do not prove causality. For example heart disease may share susceptibility genes with some mental disorders.

Nevertheless, these associations should prompt rigorous medical heart disease surveillance in those with substance abuse and anxiety disorders. 

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Chart is an original figure created using data from the manuscript cited below.

Scott KM, Lim C, Al-Hamzawi A, Alonso J, Bruffaerts R, Caldas-de-Almeida JM, Florescu S, de Girolamo G, Hu C, de Jonge P, Kawakami N, Medina-Mora ME, Moskalewicz J, Navarro-Mateu F, O'Neill S, Piazza M, Posada-Villa J, Torres Y, & Kessler RC (2015). Association of Mental Disorders With Subsequent Chronic Physical Conditions: World Mental Health Surveys From 17 Countries. JAMA psychiatry, 1-9 PMID: 26719969