What Specific Health Problems Are Related to PTSD?
At this point we do not have a lot of information about what specific health problems, or bodily systems, are associated with PTSD. Many studies have not looked at specific health problems, but instead report only number of health problems overall. Although studies that did examine specific health problems have been based primarily on self-report, there is some evidence to indicate PTSD is related to cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal disorders. The one study that examined physician diagnosed disorders and PTSD in relation to specific bodily systems also found similar results. A number of studies have found an association between PTSD and poor cardiovascular health. These studies found that either self-report of circulatory disorders or cardiovascular symptoms were associated with PTSD in veteran populations, civilian men and women, and male firefighters. Among studies that have examined cardiovascular illness in relation to PTSD via physician diagnosis or laboratory