Cardiovascular disease-related medical evacuations, active and reserve components, U.S. Armed Forces, 1 October...

Area of Science:

• Military Medicine
• Cardiovascular Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) poses a significant health challenge for military personnel, particularly during deployment.
• Understanding the prevalence and risk factors of CVD in deployed service members is crucial for operational readiness and healthcare planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the incidence and characteristics of cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related medical evacuations from the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.
• To identify pre-deployment CVD risk factors among evacuated service members.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of medical evacuation data from October 1, 2001, to December 31, 2017.
• Inclusion criteria: Service members evacuated from the CENTCOM AOR with a subsequent diagnosis of CVD in a fixed medical facility.
• Data collected included demographics, pre-deployment CVD risk factors (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, diabetes), and number of risk factors.

Main Results:

• A total of 697 service members were medically evacuated for CVD.
• The majority evacuated were male (94.7%).
• Pre-deployment risk factors included hypertension (33.9%) and hyperlipidemia (34.9%); 26.1% had more than one risk factor.

Conclusions:

• Cardiovascular disease is a notable reason for medical evacuation among U.S. service members in the CENTCOM AOR.
• Pre-existing hypertension and hyperlipidemia are prevalent risk factors, highlighting the need for targeted screening and management strategies.
• Further research and in-theater interventions are necessary to mitigate CVD morbidity in military personnel.