24-HOUR AMBULATORY BLOOD-PRESSURE AND HEART-RATE MONITORING IN COMBAT-RELATED POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER

This study examined the cardiovascular correlates of posttraumatic str ess disorder (PTSD) in Vietnam combat veterans using 24-hr ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate monitoring. Veterans with PTSD (n = 21) exhibited significantly higher heart rate and diastolic blood pressure across the 24 hr than veterans without PTSD (n = 7) (80.8 vs. 71.9 bp m, and 80.1 vs. 71.5 mm Hg, respectively). Heart rate during sleep was also significantly higher among veterans with PTSD, compared to veter ans without PTSD (71.0 vs. 62.7 bpm). These results, based on a more n aturalistic measurement methodology used outside the laboratory, suppo rt an association between PTSD and increased chronic cardiovascular ar ousal.