Acute cardiac effects of ‘SCUD’ missile attacks on a civilian population

Abstract

The ‘SCUD’ raids on Israel during the Gulf War afforded a rare opportunity to examine the effect of mass acute fear on the cardiac health of the general population. Press reports suggested an alarming rise in cardiac deaths during the first missile raids. In order to ascertain this statement, we examined the Emergency Room records of a community hospital in the affected area and all the death certificates in the local region. The periods studied were from 1 January to 28 February 1991, and the equivalent weeks in 1990. The Emergency Room records showed that there was an increased rate of cardiac complaints throughout the war, most marked during the first week. However, this was not accompanied by an increased cardiac mortality, either in the hospital or in the region as a whole, except during the first week. A similar increase in cardiac mortality occurred during the same week the previous year. The increased incidence of acute cardiac events during the first week of the war was probably a coincidence, and not a direct consequence of mass fear. Panic, occasioned by press reports, may have led to a lower threshold of referral which persisted throughout the war.

Key Words:

• Missile attacks
• Civilians
• Fear
• Cardiac events
• Israel