Pharmacotherapy in the Management of Anxiety and Pain During Acute Coronary Syndromes and the Risk of Developing Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

• Published in: Journal of the American Heart Association Vol. 10; no. 2; p. e018762
• Main Authors: von Känel, Roland, Schmid, Jean-Paul, Meister-Langraf, Rebecca E, Barth, Jürgen, Znoj, Hansjörg, Schnyder, Ulrich, Princip, Mary, Pazhenkottil, Aju P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley and Sons Inc 19-01-2021; Wiley
• Subjects: Acute Coronary Syndrome - complications; Acute Coronary Syndrome - psychology; Acute Coronary Syndrome - therapy; Adrenergic beta-Antagonists - therapeutic use; Analgesics, Opioid - therapeutic use; Benzodiazepines - administration & dosage; Benzodiazepines - adverse effects; cardiovascular disease; Correlation of Data; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Morphine - therapeutic use; Original Research; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Pain Management - adverse effects; Pain Management - methods; pharmacotherapy; posttraumatic stress disorder; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; psychological stress; Risk Assessment - methods; risk factor; Risk Factors; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - etiology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - physiopathology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - prevention & control; cardiovascular disease; risk factor; pharmacotherapy; psychological stress; posttraumatic stress disorder
• ISSN: 2047-9980; 2047-9980
• DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.120.018762

Background Benzodiazepines and morphine are given during acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) to alleviate anxiety and pain, and β-blockers may also reduce pain. ACS may induce posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (PTSS). When taken during trauma other than ACS, benzodiazepines increase the risk of PTSS, but it is unknown if benzodiazepines increase the risk of PTSS in ACS. We examined the effects of drug exposure during ACS on the development of PTSS. Methods and Results Study participants were 154 patients with a verified ACS. Baseline demographics, clinical variables, and psychological measures were obtained through a medical history, through a psychometric assessment, and from patient records, and used as covariates in linear regression analysis. Three months after ACS, the severity of PTSS was assessed with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. During ACS, 37.7% of patients were exposed to benzodiazepines, whereas 72.1% were exposed to morphine and 88.3% were exposed to β-blockers, but only 7.1% were exposed to antidepressants. Eighteen (11.7%) patients developed clinical PTSD. Adjusting for all covariates, benzodiazepine use was significantly associated with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale total severity score (unstandardized coefficient B [SE], 0.589 [0.274]; partial
=0.18;
=0.032) and the reexperiencing subscore (B [SE], 0.433 [0.217]; partial
=0.17;
=0.047). Patients exposed to benzodiazepines had an almost 4-fold increased relative risk of developing clinical PTSD, adjusting for acute stress disorder symptoms (odds ratio, 3.75; 95% CI, 1.31-10.77). Morphine, β-blockers, and antidepressants showed no predictive value. Conclusions Notwithstanding short-term antianxiety effects during ACS, benzodiazepine use might increase the risk of ACS-induced PTSS with clinical significance, thereby compromising patients' quality of life and prognosis. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT01781247.