СТРЕС-АСОЦІЙОВАНА АРТЕРІАЛЬНА ГІПЕРТЕНЗІЯ У ВІЙСЬКОВОСЛУЖБОВЦІВ ПІСЛЯ ПОВЕРНЕННЯ ІЗ ЗОНИ БОЙОВИХ ДІЙ

Objective. To assess the physiological state of military personnel who have suffered from mine-explosive injuries (MEI), gunshot shrapnel wounds (GSW), and limb amputations.Material and methods. 89 military personnel admitted to the 1st Medical Union were examined. All patients were divided into two groups: group 1 – 31 patients with MEI, GSW, and traumatic limb amputations, group 2 – 58 individuals with MEI, GSW, and without limb loss. All participants underwent an examination, general and biochemical blood tests, coagulogram, ECG, and EchoCG. Patients were surveyed using the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) self-assessment scale (PCL-M).Results. All patients considered themselves healthy before being in the combat zone. At the time of examination, 61,8% of individuals complained of headache, 60,7% had insomnia, 31,5% chest pain, 23,6% a feeling of increased rhythmic heartbeat, and 46,1% complained of tachycardia due to remembering experienced events. Elevated blood pressure (BP; 120/70 – 139/89 mm Hg) was found in 37,1%, while BP exceeding 139/89 mm Hg was found in 42,7% of individuals. The level of total fibrinogen was elevated in patients in group 1 (p=0,049). EchoCG revealed hypertrophic myocardial changes typical of hypertension in 38,2% of patients in both groups. Hypertrophy of the left ventricular wall and/or interventricular septum, as well as an increase in the size of the left atrium over 4,0 cm, was significantly more common in patients of group 2 (p=0,035). Conclusions. More than 60% of patients suffer from PTSD. Elevated blood pressure or hypertension was first diagnosed in 79,8% of military personnel of both groups. Being in a combat zone increases the risk of developing somatic pathology, particularly AH, which requires treatment.