title: Antidepressant treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: Recent large double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have indicated that sertraline is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The avoidance/numbing symptom cluster improved the most significantly with sertraline, but significant improvements were also noted for the intrusive/reexperiencing and arousal symptom clusters. Smaller double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have also indicated that fluoxetine is an effective treatment for PTSD. Multiple small, open studies with other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and newer antidepressants indicate that these medications show some promise. Older studies indicate some efficacy for tricyclic antidepressants, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors are a reasonable choice, particularly for intrusive/reexperiencing symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Butler Hospital, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, RI 02906, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pearlstein
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010919:Placebos; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020280:Sertraline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014227:Triazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D008094:Lithium; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D010919:Placebos; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D020280:Sertraline; D014227:Triazines; D014635:Valproic Acid