Pharmacotherapy for PTSD

James C. West; Gary H. Wynn; David M. Benedek

doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190088224.013.38

Pharmacotherapy for PTSD

James C. West, Gary H. Wynn, David M. Benedek

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

Psychotropic medications offer some benefit in treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. This chapter reviews classes of medications used as monotherapy and augmentation agents and evidence for their use. Antidepressant medications, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, have the greatest body of evidence to support their use in treatment of PTSD, but the benefit they offer is modest, and they are ineffective in some populations. This chapter also reviews novel pharmacologic approaches to treatment of PTSD still under investigation. Beyond sleep, studies to date have not identified strategies to target specific symptom clusters in PTSD. Such studies may help tailor future treatment to symptoms that are either particularly disabling or refractory to other medications of psychosocial intervention. “Repurposing” studies of older agents originally approved for other illnesses may prove effective for specific symptoms or symptom clusters of PTSD.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	The Oxford Handbook of Traumatic Stress Disorders, SECOND EDITION
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Pages	889-908
Number of pages	20
ISBN (Electronic)	9780190088224
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190088224.013.38
State	Published - 1 Jan 2020
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

antidepressant
augmentation
combined treatment
medication
monotherapy
treatment guidelines

Access to Document

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190088224.013.38

Cite this

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