Open AccessEffect of the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack on a State Highway Patrol Trooper's Heart Rate Variability
Author(s) -
Riediker Michael,
Herbst Margaret C.,
Devlin Robert B.,
Griggs Thomas R.,
Bromberg Philip A.,
Cascio Wayne E.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
annals of noninvasive electrocardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.494
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1542-474X
pISSN - 1082-720X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1542-474x.2005.00612.x
Subject(s) - heart rate variability , medicine , ambulatory , heart rate , ambulatory ecg , cardiology , terrorism , holter monitor , medical emergency , electrocardiography , blood pressure , archaeology , history
Background: On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the United States. By coincidence, a North Carolina highway patrol trooper was wearing an ambulatory ECG Holter monitor at this time as part of an air pollution study. Methods: Heart rate variability parameters were analyzed: standard deviation of normal to normal beat intervals (SDNN) and percentage of interval differences >50 ms (PNN50). Results: The trooper's heart rate variability changed immediately after learning about the terrorist attacks. Heart rate increased and PNN50 decreased, while SDNN increased strongly. Conclusions: These changes suggest strong emotional sympathetic stress associated with parasympathetic withdrawal in response to the news about the terrorist attack.