Consensus statement on posttraumatic stress disorder from the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety.
OBJECTIVE
To provide primary care clinicians with a better understanding of management issues in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and guide clinical practice with recommendations on the appropriate management strategy.


METHODS
The 4 members of the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety were James C. Ballenger (chair), Jonathan R. T. Davidson, Yves Lecrubier, and David J. Nutt. Other faculty invited by the chair were Edna B. Foa, Ronald C. Kessler, Alexander C. McFarlane, and Arieh Y. Shalev.


METHODS
The consensus statement is based on the 6 review articles that are published in this supplement and the scientific literature relevant to the issues reviewed in these articles.


METHODS
Group meetings were held over a 2-day period. On day 1, the group discussed the review articles and the chair identified key issues for further debate. On day 2, the group discussed these issues to arrive at a consensus view. After the group meetings, the consensus statement was drafted by the chair and approved by all attendees.


CONCLUSIONS
PTSD is often a chronic and recurring condition associated with an increased risk of developing secondary comorbid disorders, such as depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are generally the most appropriate choice of first-line medication for PTSD, and effective therapy should be continued for 12 months or longer. The most appropriate psychotherapy is exposure therapy, and it should be continued for 6 months, with follow-up therapy as needed.
Ballenger
J C
JC
Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Charleston 29425-0742, USA.
Davidson
J R
JR
Lecrubier
Y
Y
Nutt
D J
DJ
Foa
E B
EB
Kessler
R C
RC
McFarlane
A C
AC
Shalev
A Y
AY
D017281:Cost of Illness; D006801:Humans; D007171:Implosive Therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000191:economics; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors