Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death and disability-adjusted life years lost globally. Recent studies have shown that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) predicts higher risk of cardiometabolic diseases, specifically cardiovascular disease and diabetes type 2.

To assess cardiovascular event risk differences between diabetic patients with and without PTSD comorbidity.

To explore a ten-year risk of fatal CVD events in diabetic patients with and without PTSD; to gain better insight in potential different functioning patterns in these patient subgroups.

We investigated a cross-sectional sample consisting of 390 psychiatric inpatients and outpatients. Ten-years risk of fatal CVD events calculated by HeartScore, European society of cardiology. Europe high-risk version was used. The risk estimation is made based on: gender, age, smoking, systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol.

By analysis of covariance, we controlled possible confounding effects of gender, age, education, marital status, number of household members, work status, average monthly income per household member, body mass index (kg/m2), number of somatic comorbidities, number of psychiatric comorbidities, duration of PTSD, clinical global impression scale–severity of PTSD at diagnosis. After the adjustment for all these variables, interaction of PTSD and T2DM was significantly associated with CVD risk (P < 0.001; Eta2 = 0.04).

A significant fatal CVD event risk differences between diabetic patients with and without PTSD comorbidity were found. Better awareness of possible underlying determinants provides better optimal individual approach planning, likewise effective prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.