Anxiety level and responses to stress caused by air raids among patients with ischemic heart disease.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to examine the short-term responses of patients with ischemic heart disease to life-threatening events such as war. METHODS: This retrospective study included 75 persons with ischemic heart disease who were admitted to the Cardiac policlinic for a control check-up immediately after the suspension of air raids. Two-thirds of them were male (average age 62 +/- 10). Data were obtained using a specially conceived questionnaire based on recall. RESULTS: Almost 40% of patients estimated that they were very anxious the week before the attacks began, but the anxiety decreased after the beginning of the air raids. Frequency of anginal pains increased after the start of the air raids, but the difference was not statisticaly significant. The intensity of pains drastically increased in the first week of war. Consequently, the average number of pain killers consumed increased from the week before the attacks to the first week of the attacks, and it reached the highest value the week after the suspension of the attacks (1.39, 1.87, and 3.02 pain pills per week, respectively). The average weekly number of medications was 3.50 in the week prior to the air raids, increased to 5.05 during the first week of air raids, and rose to 6.06 in the week after the suspension. CONCLUSION: The adjustment on the psychological level was rapid but physical symptoms increased. This implies that physical adaptation to stress could be slower, or that the stress of the war provoked permanent changes in physical status.