In our laboratory, one of the most noteworthy scientific endeavors centers around post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among cardiac patients and their partners. While most studies in the field of trauma have concentrated on PTSD arising from discrete external events, our focus lies in exploring the occurrence of PTSD induced by a chronic internal source, specifically cardiac illness. To commence this project, we embarked on a comprehensive systematic review of 150 published papers on the subject of cardiac disease-induced PTSD (Vilchinsky et al., 2017). Notably, our graduate student, Keren Fait, was the first to uncover that caregivers of patients experiencing acute coronary events exhibit elevated levels of PTSD (Fait, Vilchinsky et al., Stress and Health, 2017). This troubling discovery necessitates both scientific and clinical attention (Vilchinsky, Frontiers in Psychology, 2017).
Building upon this foundation, we conducted a prospective, longitudinal, dyadic study aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of the experience of cardiac-induced PTSD. We discovered that the mere experience of being together in the ambulance en route to the intensive care unit holds significance for caregivers' well-being (Cornelious et al., 2020). Furthermore, we explored the impact of caregivers' support efforts on patients' post-traumatic symptoms (George-Levi, 2022), as well as the relationship between caregivers' fear of illness progression and their own post-traumatic stress symptoms (Eisenberg et al., 2022). These findings contribute to our evolving understanding of PTSD dynamics in the context of cardiac illness and emphasize the importance of addressing the well-being of caregivers alongside that of patients.