ABSTRACT
Decreased heart rate variability (HRV) occurs with physical and psychological disorders and is a predictor of cardiac and all-cause mortality. This study was the first of which we are aware to examine and report the relationship between military sexual trauma (MST) and HRV measures. In a historical cohort study of female veterans with (n = 27) and without (n = 99) MST who received Holter and electrocardiogram evaluation at a Veteran Affairs medical center during 2007-2010, we examined the relationship between MST and the standard deviation of all R-R intervals (SDNN) and the square root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between adjacent R-R intervals (RMSSD). Female veterans with MST were younger, p = .002, frequently had a probable posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis, 80% versus 15%, p = < .0001, and had lower SDNN, p = .0001, and RMSSD, p = .001, than those without MST. The SDNN and RMSSD of a 25-year-old female veteran with MST were comparable to that of female veterans aged 69 to 81 years without MST. Further research is needed to evaluate relationships between MST and HRV measures.
Subject(s)
Heart Rate/physiology , Sex Offenses/statistics & numerical data , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/physiopathology , Veterans/psychology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Analysis of Variance , Cohort Studies , Electrocardiography, Ambulatory/methods , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/diagnosis , Surveys and Questionnaires , United StatesABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this case study is to present the complex contribution of combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to suicide and international standards of treatment among veterans deployed to the Middle East. CONCLUSIONS: PTSD carries increased physical and psychological health risk in combat soldiers. Internationally, guidelines for PTSD promote cognitive behavior therapies, specifically exposure therapy, as first line treatment; however, implementation varies among countries. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Evidence supports the benefit of exposure-based psychotherapy for combat-related PTSD. Commonly prescribed antidepressants and other psychotherapy treatments may not be as beneficial.