Dr. Alex Chernobelsky and The Hidden Heart Crisis in First Responders
Both the health profession and first responders have begun to realize that stress by itself can cause health problems. Now doctors are facing a new challenge: the unique interactions between stress, a high level of physical fitness, and an inability to connect heart disease with good health.
Dr. Alex Chernobelsky partnered with our first responder workers’ compensation attorneys on our podcast to discuss this new and invisible health crisis and some of the ways to treat it.
Fitness, Stress, and Heart Disease
First responders, like firefighters and law enforcement officers, pride themselves on their physical fitness. They also pride themselves on their ability to work long days, go without sleep, and “work through” any pain or mental distress.
Dr. Chernobelsky explains that stress and the shock of adrenaline that comes from this type of work can have a negative impact on the heart, even for those in prime physical condition. Just because someone looks fit, and exercises to the peak of shape, does not mean they necessarily have a healthy heart. It may be that continued exercise under stress does more damage to the heart than laying off if you feel unwell.
PTSD and Heart Health
Once the diagnosis for returning veterans, PTSD is now known to affect anyone who deals with shocking, psychologically distressing events. PTSD also has an effect on the subject’s physical health. Dr. Chernobelsky explains that the burst of adrenaline that comes from a PTSD trigger can be toxic to cardiac cells, while the sustained release of adrenaline and other neurochemicals may increase blood pressure and cause physiological changes in the body.
Although first responders have historically been told to “power through” their emotional distress, recent medical thinking says this is not the best way to go. Newer models treat PTSD as another physical injury, caused by stresses on the job, and treatable by medical intervention.
What First Responders Can Do to Take Care of Their Heart Health
Florida law treats PTSD as a presumptive work-related injury, meaning that you do not need to prove it occurred on the job. At Bichler & Longo, we want you to have the best treatment to help you recover from all your injuries and return to work. PTSD may be covered by workers’ compensation, so call us for a consultation on how to file your claim today.