Stress-related psychopathology after cardiac surgery and intensive care treatment

•Cardiac surgery patients are at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, which might hamper recovery.•Factors associated with the development of PTSD and depression are variable.•Linear backwards regression identified higher trait anxiety to affect the occurrence of PTSD and depression significantly.•In this setting, female patients potentially benefit from intraoperative dexamethasone administration.