Current Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Dutch Resistance Veterans from World War II

1992 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 164-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul R.J. Falger ◽  
Wybrand Op den Velde ◽  
Johannes E. Hovens ◽  
Erik G.W. Schouten ◽  
Johannes H.M. De Groen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
World War Ii ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease Risk ◽  
World War ◽  
Resistance Veterans

scholarly journals Increased vascular α1-adrenergic receptor sensitivity in older adults with posttraumatic stress disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 319 (6) ◽  
pp. R611-R616
Author(s):  
Cortnie L. Hartwig ◽  
Justin D. Sprick ◽  
Jinhee Jeong ◽  
Yingtian Hu ◽  
Doree G. Morison ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease Risk ◽  
Blood Pressure Reactivity ◽  
Pressure Reactivity

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an independent risk factor for the development of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Patients with PTSD have heightened blood pressure and sympathetic nervous system reactivity; however, it is unclear if patients with PTSD have exaggerated vasoconstriction in response to sympathetic nerve activation that could also contribute to increased blood pressure reactivity. Therefore, we hypothesized that patients with PTSD have increased sensitivity of vascular α1-adrenergic receptors (α1ARs), the major mediators of vasoconstriction in response to release of norepinephrine at sympathetic nerve terminals. To assess vascular α1AR sensitivity, we measured the degree of venoconstriction in a dorsal hand vein in response to exponentially increasing doses of the selective α1AR agonist, phenylephrine (PE), in 9 patients with PTSD (age = 59 ± 2 yr) and 10 age-matched controls (age = 60 ± 1 yr). Individual dose-response curves were generated to determine the dose of PE that induces 50% of maximal venoconstriction (i.e., PE ED50) reflective of vascular α1AR sensitivity. In support of our hypothesis, PE ED50 values were lower in PTSD compared with controls (245 ± 54 ng/min vs. 1,995 ± 459 ng/min, P = 0.012), indicating increased vascular α1AR sensitivity in PTSD. The PTSD group also had an increase in slope of rise in venoconstriction, indicative of an altered venoconstrictive reactivity to PE compared with controls (19.8% ± 1.2% vs. 15.1% ± 1.2%, P = 0.009). Heightened vascular α1AR sensitivity in PTSD may contribute to augmented vasoconstriction and blood pressure reactivity to sympathoexcitation and to increased cardiovascular disease risk in this patient population.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Male and Female Dutch Resistance Veterans of World War II in Relation to Trait Anxiety and Depression

1994 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 275-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Hovens ◽  
W. Op den Velde ◽  
P. R. J. Falger ◽  
J. H. M. De Groen ◽  
H. Van Duijn
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
World War Ii ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
World War ◽  
Resistance Veterans

In this study, 680 male and 144 female Dutch Resistance veterans of World War II were evaluated on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, trait anxiety, and depression. Approximately 27% of these men and 20% of these women showed current Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Resistance veterans, as a group, appeared comparable to the controls from Dutch validation studies on trait anxiety and depression. Gender differences were not observed. Veterans with current PTSD symptoms scored higher on trait anxiety and depression than the remaining veterans and were comparable on trait anxiety and depression to psychiatric patients. Correlational analyses showed that there was a strong association between trait anxiety and depression. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder correlated highly with trait anxiety and depression.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Dutch Resistance Veterans from World War II

1993 ◽  
pp. 219-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wybrand Op den Velde ◽  
Paul R. J. Falger ◽  
Johan E. Hovens ◽  
Jan H. M. de Groen ◽  
Louise J. Lasschuit ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
World War Ii ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
World War ◽  
Resistance Veterans

Reported Physical Health in Resistance Veterans from World War II

1998 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 987-996 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Hovens ◽  
W. Op den Velde ◽  
P. R. J. Falger ◽  
J. H. M. de Groen ◽  
H. van Duijn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
World War Ii ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
General Population ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Population Survey ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
World War ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
Resistance Veterans

Male Dutch Resistance veterans from World War II who reported on chronic diseases were compared with subjects from a population survey. Resistance veterans in general reported significantly more disease. Veterans with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder reported more disease than those who had none. Furthermore, 13 specific disease categories were more prevalent in the Resistance veterans than in the general population. In the Resistance veterans total number of reported diseases was significantly correlated with anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. In Resistance veterans weekly tobacco use was comparable to that of the control subjects, but alcohol consumption was significantly less.

Prevalence and Course of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Dutch Veterans of the Civilian Resistance during World War II: An Overview

1996 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 519-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Op den Velde ◽  
P. G. H. Aarts ◽  
P. R. J. Falger ◽  
J. E. Hovens ◽  
E. Frey-Wouters ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
World War Ii ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Life Time ◽  
The United States ◽  
World War ◽  
Resistance Veterans

This study concerns the prevalence of current and lifetime Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in various groups of officially recognized Veterans of the Dutch civilian Resistance against the Nazi occupation during World War II. In total, 1046 Resistance veterans living in The Netherlands and 52 who emmigrated to the United States after the war were examined. Between four and five decades after the end of WW 11, between 25 and 50% were suffering from current PTSD. The life-time prevalence is estimated to be substantially higher. The course of PTSD proved highly variable. There had often been a delay of several decades between the end of the war and reoccurrence or first onset of posttraumatic symptoms. The prevalence of PTSD in Resistance veterans who emigrated to the United States was hardly different from that of the veterans still living in The Netherlands.

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