Effect of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on a state highway patrol trooper's heart rate variability.

Background: On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the United States. By coincidence, a North Carolina highway patrol trooper was wearing an ambulatory ECG Holter monitor at this time as part of an air pollution study.

Methods: Heart rate variability parameters were analyzed: standard deviation of normal to normal beat intervals (SDNN) and percentage of interval differences >50 ms (PNN50).

Results: The trooper's heart rate variability changed immediately after learning about the terrorist attacks. Heart rate increased and PNN50 decreased, while SDNN increased strongly.

Conclusions: These changes suggest strong emotional sympathetic stress associated with parasympathetic withdrawal in response to the news about the terrorist attack.