title: New approaches to combining pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex disorder associated with an intricate biological and psychological symptom profile and various common comorbidities. Despite an existing myriad of evidence-based and experimental treatments, PTSD is often difficult to treat. This reality necessitates a discussion of the potential of emerging treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search using PubMed and PsychInfo was done using the following keywords: randomized clinical trials, treatment guidelines, pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, all in addition to PTSD. A comprehensive treatment review establishes that early intervention approaches have not yet been found to prevent PTSD in trauma survivors. However, psychotherapy research provides substantial support for cognitive behavioral therapies and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for chronic PTSD, and psychopharmacological approaches are myriad - although at present there is FDA approval only for sertraline and paroxetine. However, the efficacy of these treatments varies and, unfortunately, not everyone will achieve remission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  So far, the mental health field has tended to focus on either biological or psychological targets. We propose that maximizing treatment success may require an integrated approach that does not dichotomize biological and psychological aspects. Exciting new developments reflecting this perspective include psychopharmacologic augmentation strategies that enhance the mechanisms of psychotherapy.
authors.affiliation: James J Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468, USA. Laura.pratchett@va.gov
authors.forename: Laura C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Pratchett
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bierer
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yehuda
mesh_terms: D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D057169:Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing; D006801:Humans; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors