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Cardiovascular Complaints Among Military Members During Operation Enduring Freedom

James A Watts1, Frank D Russo, Todd C Villines

  • 1Cardiovascular Diseases Associate Program Director, San Antonio Military Medical Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

U.S. Army Medical Department Journal
|May 25, 2016
PubMed

Insights

A military cardiology consultant in Afghanistan improved return-to-duty rates for service members with heart issues. This expert helped differentiate serious conditions from minor ones, ensuring faster recovery and readiness.

Area of Science:

  • Military Medicine
  • Cardiology
  • Operational Health

Background:

  • US military deployed cardiology consultants to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.
  • The goal was to increase return-to-duty rates for service members with cardiovascular complaints.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To categorize cardiovascular complaints in deployed service members.
  • To determine the impact of a theater cardiology consultant on aeromedical evacuation and return-to-duty rates.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 1,495 service members evaluated over 2.5 years.
  • Categorization of presenting cardiovascular complaints.
  • Assessment of disposition outcomes (return to duty vs. evacuation).

Main Results:

  • Chest pain (43%), arrhythmias/palpitations (24.5%), and syncope (13.5%) were the most common complaints.
  • 85% of service members returned to duty, often with non-critical issues.
  • 15% were evacuated, frequently due to acute coronary syndrome, pulmonary embolism, or ventricular tachycardia.

Conclusions:

  • A forward-deployed theater cardiology consultant is crucial for managing military cardiovascular health.
  • Consultants effectively distinguish between life-threatening and low-risk cardiac diagnoses.
  • This role optimizes disposition decisions, enhancing service member readiness.

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