Two types of cardiovascular autonomic regulatory responses to the war

Abstract

In war, many people are not directly hurt, but they feel fear of various intensities for a long time. The response of the cardiovascular autonomic system to these conditions, produced by the bombardment of Yugoslav cities by NATO for 78 days in spring 1999, was investigated. A group of 12 active medical professionals was examined 1 and 5 weeks after the beginning of bombardment and 10 days after the end of bombardment by spectral analysis of heart rate variability. Two types of cardiovascular autonomic responses emerged. One type included a fast reaction and then adaptation; the increased activity of symphaticus compared to parasymphaticus in the beginning of war was followed by a balance of these activities after 1 month and a small increase immediately after the end of bombardment. The other type did not show an increased activity of symphaticus compared to parasymphaticus during the war, but at the end of bombardment the prevalence of vagal tone was observed. Copyright (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.