PART C – Other systems 27 PART C OTHER SYSTEMS I. CARDIOPULMONARY Acute symptoms include dyspnoea, chest pains, coughing, expectoration and palpitation. Certain types of torture particularly lead to pulmonary complications. Beatings to the chest may cause damage to the thoracic wall – including rib fractures – and severely reduce the respiration. Often the consequence is pneumonia. “Wet submarino” is associated with the potential risk of producing acute lung symptoms, due to aspiration of contaminated water. Harsh prison conditions in humid, cold and dark cells probably often facilitate pneumonia, bronchitis or pulmonary tuberculosis. Electrical torture may produce cardiac arrest if the current passes through the heart (Danielsen et al., 1991). Long-lasting symptoms in a follow-up study of 22 Greek torture victims (Petersen et al., 1985) showed that attacks of tachycardia, palpitations and/or dyspnoea – also combined with anxiety – were found in 6/22, while pain in the thorax – including angina and muscular pain – was found in 5/22, and chronic bronchitis (coughing, exertion dyspnoea) in 8/22 persons. These findings highlight the importance of follow-up studies on torture victims. Significant ECG changes have been observed in US soldiers held in detention camps in Serbia (Corovic, Durakovic, Zavalic & Zrinscak, 2000). (See also § 183, §§ 201-202 and § 214 in the Istanbul Protocol.)