The goal of the present study was to investigate the association between PTSD and the onset of hypertension in previously normotensive individuals in a population living in the stressful environment of the urban slums while controlling for risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Participants were 320 normotensive individuals who lived in slums and were attending a family doctor program. Measurements included a questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, clinical status and life habits, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist – Civilian Version, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Incident hypertension was defined as the first occurrence at the follow-up review of the medical records of (1) systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher or diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher, (2) the participant started taking antihypertensive medication, or (3) a new diagnosis of hypertension made by a physician. Differences in sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics between hypertensive and non-hypertensive individuals were compared using the χ2 and t tests. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Six variables – age, educational level, body mass, smoking, diabetes, and PTSD diagnosis – showed a statistically significant (p ≤ 0.20) association with the hypertensive status. In the Cox regression, only PTSD diagnosis was significantly associated with incident hypertension (multivariate HR = 1.94; 95% CI 1.11–3.40).

The present findings highlight the importance of considering a diagnostic hypothesis of PTSD in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

本研究的目的是在控制心血管疾病 (CVD) 危险因素的同时，调查 PTSD 与生活在城市贫民窟压力环境中的先前血压正常的人群中高血压发作之间的关联。

参与者是 320 名血压正常的人，他们住在贫民窟并正在参加家庭医生计划。测量包括一份涵盖社会人口特征、临床状况和生活习惯的问卷、创伤后应激障碍检查表——平民版和贝克抑郁量表。事件高血压被定义为在医疗记录的后续审查中首次发生 (1) 140 毫米汞柱或更高的收缩压或 90 毫米汞柱或更高的舒张压，(2) 参与者开始服用抗高血压药药物治疗，或 (3) 医生对高血压的新诊断。使用χ2和t检验。多变量 Cox 比例风险模型用于计算风险比 (HR) 和 95% 置信区间 (CI)。

六个变量——年龄、教育水平、体重、吸烟、糖尿病和 PTSD 诊断——显示出与高血压状态有统计学意义 ( p ≤ 0.20) 的关联。在 Cox 回归中，只有 PTSD 诊断与高血压事件显着相关（多变量 HR = 1.94；95% CI 1.11–3.40）。

目前的研究结果强调了考虑 PTSD 诊断假设在预防和治疗心血管疾病中的重要性。