Cardiac Disease-Induced Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms (CDI-PTSS) Among Patients' Partners.

It is well established that a patient's partner can be deeply affected by the traumatizing nature of the patient's illness. Yet, no study to date has focused on post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among partners of patients coping with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The current study's main aims were to address this gap and to evaluate cardiac disease-induced (CDI) PTSS prevalence in partners of patients who experienced ACS. Patients who experienced ACS and their partners were interviewed by telephone 2 to 6 months after patients' hospitalization. All patients and partners were screened for CDI-PTSS. Demographic and medical variables as well as partners' level of exposure to the cardiac event were assessed. Prevalence of CDI-PTSS was higher among partners than among patients. Partners' number of CDI-PTSS was not significantly associated with patients' number of CDI-PTSS or with any of the other explanatory factors measured, except for education level. The preliminary results that arose from the current study point to the vast number of individuals who must act as caregivers for their ill partners while having to cope with their own PTSS. Much effort should be channelled into integrating partners into cardiac recovery programmes.