Posttraumatic stress disorder and hypertension in older adult Vietnam Era male and female veterans

Hypertension is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death for older adults. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may increase the likelihood of developing hypertension; however, little is known about this association in older adult male and female veterans. To better understand the ways in which aging and biological sex impact the link between PTSD and hypertension, the present study used data from two cohorts of older adult Vietnam Era veterans (women: N = 4,104, M age = 67.4 years; men: N = 5,767, M age = 61.9 years). Veterans completed a telephone structured clinical interview assessing lifetime PTSD and self‐reported hypertension diagnosis, age of onset, and past‐year treatment. Weighted logistic regression analyses adjusted for relevant covariates revealed an association between PTSD and a higher likelihood of hypertension in male veterans, OR = 1.57, 95% CI [1.30, 1.91]. There was no association between lifetime PTSD and hypertension in female veterans, OR = 0.93; 95% CI [0.77, 1.11]. Exploratory secondary analyses suggested an association between PTSD and hypertension onset in early and middle adulthood in men. PTSD was not associated with past‐year hypertension treatment. Overall, these findings suggest that PTSD may contribute to hypertension risk in older adult male veterans, which has important implications for their long‐term cardiovascular health. The association between PTSD and hypertension may differ across the lifespan and for male and female veterans. Additional prospective research is needed to confirm these findings and further clarify the association between PTSD and hypertension to inform veteran clinical care.