Elevated Heart and Respiration Rates Seen in PTSD Sufferers: Study
The December 2008 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry has published research by an Australian team that found two definitive risk factors for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): elevated heart rate and elevated respiration (breathing) rate.
Over a period of nearly two years the researchers studied 955 patients admitted to Australian hospitals after traumatic events who were then evaluated for PTSD as well as major depressive disorder (MDD) three months later. They found that the 10% of patients who were subsequently diagnosed with PTSD from the traumatic event all exhibited significantly higher heart and respiration rates than non-PTSD trauma victims.
Patients who exhibited heart rates of at least 96 beats per minute after the traumatic event, and respiration rates of at least 22 breaths per minute, were at least twice as likely to develop PTSD. Researchers concluded:
Elevated heart rate and respiration rate are predictors of subsequent PTSD. These data underscore the need for future research into secondary prevention strategies that reduce acute arousal immediately after trauma and may limit PTSD development in some individuals.
This is good news for the future because it means psychiatrists and physicians may soon be able to pre-treat for PTSD and avoid lifelong cases of complex PTSD like mine.
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You know, I was never diagnosed for PTSD until way after the fact. Even when getting the minimal help I let myself get after I was assaulted, one of the counsellors I spoke to mentioned "oh sounds like you’re dealing with post-traumatic stress". But she never suggested I should go and get help for it.It wasn’t until I found myself in the grip of constant flashbacks that I realised what was going on. And it wasn’t until, really, I’d started seeing my current therapist earlier this year, that I was diagnosed at all.I so relate to the elevated heart rate and respiration. Even when I’m not feeling particularly stressed right now, because of the rather recent resurgence of all this stuff… I’m still dealing with the constant reminder of my elevated heart rate. Thumpity thump, thumpity thump. Its great when people who’ve been through trauma can get in front of medical professionals afterwards. But I didn’t. I was too ashamed to go and see a doctor, and I didn’t even realise they could help me in any way.I think we’ve still got a really long way to go before people realise the awfulness of PTSD, and that its a very real and painful disorder.Thanks for posting this!!