Excerpt from: The Inquisitr (click for full article)
Post traumatic stress disorder can be debilitating for many combat veterans, and a new study shows that vets with PTSD may not be the only one’s medically affected by the condition. A new study claims that partners and spouses of combat veterans with PTSD are at a higher risk for “secondary” PTSD symptoms — including high blood pressure and greater risk for cardiovascular disease.
The study, conducted at the University of Utah, monitored two groups of military veterans and their spouses during and after a “disagreement task” in a clinical environment. Researchers compared the emotional and physiological responses of the couples. One of the groups consisted of veterans previously diagnosed with PTSD, the other group — which served as the control group — did not have PTSD or related symptoms.
The study ultimately showed that the female partners and spouses of veterans with PTSD had even greater increased in blood pressure than the combat veterans themselves. The couples in the PTSD group also showed increased heart rates.
The findings suggest that the partners and spouses of combat veterans with PTSD are at risk for similar health-related consequences as their diagnosed partners.
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