'Post-pandemic stress disorder' not caused by COVID-19 vaccines

'Post-pandemic stress disorder' not caused by COVID-19 vaccines

(Reuters) - A rise in heart conditions as a result of “post-pandemic stress disorder” (PPSD) flagged by London physicians is not related to COVID-19 vaccines, one of them told Reuters.

In a Dec. 2 news report published by London newspaper Evening Standard, two physicians detailed a rise in people suffering with PPSD which they say is causing an increase in thrombotic-related vascular conditions (here).

The doctors typify PPSD as the effects of stress and anxiety caused by the fallout of COVID-19, including lockdown restrictions. It is not yet officially recognised in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) handbook of the American Psychiatric Association.

Vaccine-sceptic social media accounts have since circulated the article widely, questioning the findings and suggesting a link to COVID-19 vaccines (here, here, here). 

The description of PPSD and subsequent heart conditions are unrelated to COVID-19 vaccines, said one of the physicians quoted, Tahir Hussain, consultant vascular surgeon at Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, northwest London.

“There is no evidence to say COVID vaccines cause PPSD,” he told Reuters by phone.

Hussain explained that so-called PPSD is related to the “detrimental effects” of lockdown, such as mental health problems and stress, decreased movement and unhealthy lifestyle habits.

He said he initially wanted to flag PPSD publicly to highlight the effect of lockdown on people’s mental and cardiovascular health.

Stress can increase heart and circulatory diseases, according to the British Heart Foundation (here).

However, it warns the conditions are not caused by stress alone but also the related unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as smoking, alcohol and lack of physical activity.

COVID-19 infection itself is linked to thrombotic conditions, said Hussain, noting cardiovascular issues including heart attacks, pulmonary embolism and deep-vein thrombosis (deep-vein blood clots).

He pointed Reuters to medical reviews and studies linking COVID-19 and thrombotic events (here, here).

Other studies suggest COVID-19 increases the risk of thromboembolism (blood clots) (here) and other thrombotic complications.

COVID-19 itself is associated with a 16-fold increase in the risk of myocarditis, heart inflammation, compared to individuals without the virus, however overall risk is low, U.S. hospital data shows.

Mark Rayner, former senior NHS psychological therapist and founder of EASE Wellbeing psychotherapy services, who the Evening Standard also quoted, did not respond to a request for comment.

Reuters previously spoke to experts who said contracting COVID-19 increased the likelihood of developing health issues such blood clots.

Danny Altmann, a professor of immunology at Imperial College London, told Reuters there were peer-reviewed studies which show “the overwhelming statistical case is that myocarditis, pericarditis, blood clots, strokes or heart attacks and death is massively skewed to those who are unvaccinated and become infected.”

VERDICT

False. The description of PPSD and subsequent heart conditions are unrelated to COVID-19 vaccines, one of the physicians tracking the disorder told Reuters.