People in 20s and 30s with mental health problems have elevated risks of heart attack and stroke: Study

Adults in their 20s and 30s with mental disorders have an up to three-fold elevated likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, according to a study in more than 6.5 million individuals published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Lifestyle behaviours did not explain the excess risk. One in every eight of the 20-to-39-year-old participants had some kind of mental illness including depression, anxiety and insomnia.

This study investigated the association between mental disorders in adults aged 20-39 years and the risks of developing 1myocardial infarction and ischaemic stroke. The study used the 2Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database which covers the country’s entire population. A total of 6,557,727 individuals aged 20 to 39 years who underwent health examinations between 2009 and 2012 and had no history of myocardial infarction or stroke were included in the study. The average age was 31 years, and more than half (58%) of participants were 30 years or older.

Participants with any mental disorder had a 58% higher likelihood of myocardial infarction and 42% greater risk of stroke compared to those with no mental disorder. 3The risk of myocardial infarction was elevated for all mental disorders studied, with the magnitude ranging from 1.49- to 3.13-fold. Looking at each condition separately, compared to participants with no mental disorder, the risk of myocardial infarction was

• 3.13 times higher in those with PTSD,
• 2.61 times higher for schizophrenia,
• 2.47 times higher for substance use disorder,
• 2.40 times higher for bipolar disorder,
• 2.29 times higher for personality disorder,
• 1.97 times higher for eating disorders,
• 1.73 times higher for insomnia,
• 1.72 times higher for depression,
• 1.53 times higher for anxiety and
• 1.49 times higher for somatoform disorder.

The risk of stroke was elevated for all mental health issues except PTSD and eating disorders. In addition, depression and insomnia were linked with greater risks of heart attack and stroke in women than men.

Reference:

Professor Eue-Keun Choi et al,European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, DOI 10.1093/eurjpc/zwad102