Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
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The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 62:P295-P299 (2007)
© 2007 The Gerontological Society of America

RESEARCH ARTICLE

DSM-IV Personality Disorders and Coronary Heart Disease in Older Adults: Results From the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions

Robert H. Pietrzak, Julie A. Wagner and Nancy M. Petry

1 Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut.
2 Department of Behavioral Sciences and Community Health, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut.

Address correspondence to Nancy M. Petry, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-3944. E-mail: petry{at}psychiatry.uchc.edu

We evaluated the relationship between seven personality disorders listed in the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and coronary heart disease (CHD) in a nationally representative sample of U.S. older adults. We analyzed data on 10,573 adults aged 60 or older from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. In our results, we found that 13.30% of older adults reported a diagnosis of CHD confirmed by a health professional. Age (odds ratio or OR = 1.04), morbid obesity (OR = 1.59), hypertension (OR = 2.30), nicotine dependence (OR = 1.39), any drug use disorder (OR = 2.13), and any mood disorder (OR = 1.87) increased the odds of having CHD. Female gender (OR = 0.72) and social drinking (OR = 0.71) decreased the odds of having CHD. Controlling for these variables, we found that avoidant (OR = 1.80), schizoid (OR = 1.63), and obsessive-compulsive (OR = 1.37) personality disorders increased the odds of having CHD. Personality disorders may increase the risk of CHD in older adults. Putative mechanisms and directions for future research are proposed.






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