Somatic Comorbidities of Trauma Exposure and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, psychotrauma and its potential sequelae, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are of increased concern to family medicine. Trauma exposure and PTSD both increase the risks of a broad range of physical diseases. The knowledge of these diseases supports targeted prevention and early diagnosis. This paper provides a brief overview of diseases associated with psychotrauma and PTSD. The identified diseases include inadequate immune response, infectious diseases, dermatoses, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, cancer, metabolic dysfunction, traumatic brain injury, pain disorders, and musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, and urogenital disorders. Various possible relationships between trauma exposure, PTSD, and somatic disorders are highlighted. Not only can trauma exposure and PTSD increase the risk for or be a consequence of illnesses, but also affect the course of sequelae or comorbid diseases and their treatment. Family physicians play an essential role in the health care of patients with traumatic experiences or PTSD. Knowledge of the associations between trauma exposure, PTSD, and somatic diseases can facilitate targeted prevention of somatic diseases, early diagnosis, and structured treatment planning for multimorbid patients. © Deutscher Ärzteverlag ;ZFA ;Zeitschrift für Allgemeinmedizin.