title: Psychopharmacological treatment for military posttraumatic stress disorder: an integrative review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health disorder. The current first-line psychopharmacologic treatment for PTSD is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Recently, the efficacy of SSRIs has been challenged in favor of propranolol use. This article reviews the origins of PTSD, its impact within the veteran population, psychopharmacological treatment of PTSD, and current literature on the use of propranolol for PTSD treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The search strategies used included ProQuest, Medline, CINAHL, and Psychiatry Online and were searched using the key terms: PTSD, psychopharmacological treatment, SSRIs, propranolol, military, and veterans in multiple combinations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Studies to date indicate that (a) SSRIs are only moderately effective as a first-line treatment for PTSD and less so for military personnel, (b) propranolol has the ability to attenuate traumatic memory in primary and tertiary use, and (c) ethical and moral consideration as well as further research and testing is needed for substantiating propranolol as a first-line PTSD psychopharmacological treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current research has shown propranolol to be an effective treatment option for PTSD.
authors.affiliation: (Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner), Nursing Master's Program, Rivier College, Nashua, New Hampshire (Program Director), Division of Nursing, Rivier College, Nashua, New Hampshire.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tawa
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008889:Military Personnel; D011433:Propranolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D011433:Propranolol; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
keywords: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); pharmacotherapy; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI); treatment; veterans