Alcohol abuse partly mediates the association between coronary heart disease and affective or psychotic disorders: a follow‐up study in Sweden

OBJECTIVE: To analyse whether hospitalization for affective or psychotic disorders predicts coronary heart disease (CHD) after accounting for occupation, region and alcohol-related disorders. METHOD: National registers were used to identify all individuals in Sweden aged 25-64 years at first hospitalization for affective or psychotic disorders and aged 25-79 years at first hospitalization for CHD between 1987 and 2001. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated. RESULTS: The association between CHD and affective or psychotic disorders was strongest in the youngest age groups. The overall SIRs varied between 1.39 and 1.68. They were strongly attenuated but remained significant after adjustment for hospitalization because of alcohol-related disorders, especially among women. CONCLUSION: Hospitalization because of affective or psychotic disorders predicts CHD. These associations are partly mediated by alcohol abuse. Clinicians and decision makers should be aware of the increased risk of CHD in these patient groups.