Late Onset Stress Symptomatology, Subclinical PTSD or Mixed Etiologies in Previously Symptom Free Aging Combat Veterans

Late Onset Stress Symptomatology, Subclinical PTSD or Mixed Etiologies in Previously Symptom Free Aging Combat Veterans

The reaction to combat stress is variable and complicated. When elderly combat veterans with no prior history of PTSD present to the Emergency Department (ED) with PTSD-like symptoms, the differential diagnosis can be perplexing. The case may be cofounded by multiple medical problems and early neurocognitive degeneration problems. A new diagnostic phenomena is lateonset stress symptomatology (LOSS) needs to be considered in late onset first time presentation of PTSD-like symptoms. It is a clinical phenomenon reported in aging combat veterans who have experienced stressful combat events in their early adult years followed by a successful post-military life.