title: Review of sertraline in post-traumatic stress disorder.
abstract: Sertraline (Zoloft trade mark, Pfizer) is a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) with proven efficacy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a serious, complex and often chronic mental illness that may follow exposure to a traumatic event. The high prevalence of traumatic events and PTSD in the general population and the resulting distress and dysfunction present a need for the systematic study of the efficacy and effectiveness of treatments for PTSD. Sertraline offers advantages over the older antidepressants, including demonstrated efficacy in PTSD, improved tolerability and low risk of lethality in overdose. Sertraline's efficacy, favourable tolerability profile and relatively weak effect on the cytochrome P450 system are factors that contribute to make it a first-line agent of choice in the treatment of PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, and Behavioural Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA. aschwa2@emory.edu
authors.forename: Ann C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Barbara O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Rothbaum
mesh_terms: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D020280:Sertraline / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D020280:Sertraline