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.
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.
Authors: Michael Riediker; Ronald Williams; Robert Devlin; Thomas Griggs; Philip Bromberg Journal: Environ Sci Technol Date: 2003-05-15 Impact factor: 9.028
Authors: Michael Riediker; Wayne E Cascio; Thomas R Griggs; Margaret C Herbst; Philip A Bromberg; Lucas Neas; Ronald W Williams; Robert B Devlin Journal: Am J Respir Crit Care Med Date: 2004-02-12 Impact factor: 21.405