BOSTON, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Post-traumatic stress disorder isn't limited to combat soldiers; it can also appear after a heart attack, a stroke or heart surgery, say U.S. experts.
Sufferers of PTSD after a heart attack, stroke or heart surgery are always on the alert for signs of an impending heart attack, such as a racing heart or shortness of breath.
However, these can also be normal responses to physical activity or stress, but many people with heart-related PTSD go to great lengths to avoid these reminders and as a result they stop climbing stairs, making love or doing other activities that make their heart beat faster.
Some stop taking medications that remind them of the heart attack.
The Harvard Heart Letter says that treating PTSD begins with talk therapy that aims to help a person come to terms with a traumatic event by conjuring up memories of it in a safe situation.
Reconnecting with people, interests and activities is another goal of therapy, while some also benefit from taking an anti-depressant, the Heart Letter notes.
