Psychopharmacological strategies in the management of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): what have we learned?
There have been significant advancements in the pharmacologic management of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the past two decades. Multisite randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have noted the efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNR Is) for PTSD treatment. Unfortunately, there have been no new medications approved to treat PTSD in the past 10 years. Although there have been exciting new findings in our knowledge of the neurobiology of PTSD, clinical trials testing new medications have lagged. This review summarizes recent research that builds on the unique pathophysiology of PTSD and suggests ways to move the field forward.
National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA, Nancy.Bernardy@va.gov.
Nancy C
NC
Bernardy
Matthew J
MJ
Friedman
D019468:Disease Management; D006801:Humans; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D009446:Neurobiology; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors