Key result
A history of traumatic stress response to a previous trauma was the strongest predictor of PTSD symptoms after sudden cardiac arrest (OR 4.77).
Cross-Sectional (n=188)
Over one-third of sudden cardiac arrest survivors experience clinical PTSD, and a prior history of traumatic stress response is the strongest predictor of developing these symptoms.
May warrant targeted PTSD screening in SCA survivors with prior trauma; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective validation.
BACKGROUND: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survivors can develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which is associated with worse clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and predictors of PTSD in a large sample of SCA survivors. Prior history of psychological trauma and the effects of repeated trauma exposure on subsequent PTSD and symptom severity after SCA were also explored. METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional study of 188 SCA survivors from the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association patient registry completed an online questionnaire that included measures of PTSD, trauma history, sociodemographics, general health, and cardiac history. RESULTS: Sixty-three (36.2%) SCA survivors in this sample scored above the clinical cutoff for PTSD. Female gender, worse general health, and younger age predicted PTSD symptoms after SCA. Additionally, 50.2% of SCA survivors (n = 95) reported a history of trauma exposure and 25.4% (n = 48) of the total sample endorsed a traumatic stress response to a historic trauma. Results indicated that a traumatic stress response to a historic trauma was a stronger predictor of PTSD after SCA (odds ratio = 4.77) than all other variables in the model. CONCLUSIONS: PTSD symptoms are present in over one-third of SCA survivors. While demographic or health history variables predicted PTSD after SCA, a history of traumatic stress response to a previous trauma emerged as the strongest predictor of these symptoms. Routine assessment and interdisciplinary management are discussed as potential ways to expedite survivors' recovery and return to daily living.
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Rosman et al. (2015) conducted a cross-sectional in Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survivors (n=188). History of traumatic stress response to a historic trauma vs. No history of traumatic stress response was evaluated on PTSD symptoms after sudden cardiac arrest (OR 4.77). A history of traumatic stress response to a previous trauma was the strongest predictor of PTSD symptoms after sudden cardiac arrest (OR 4.77).
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