Pharmacotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder: A status report

Abstract

Pharmacotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) appears to be a promising approach because many neurobiological systems appear to be altered in PTSD patients. This review encompasses the current published literature on clinical trials with antiadrenergic agents (propranolol, clonidine, guanfacine), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), other serotonergic agents, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI), tricyclic antidepressants (TCA), benzodiazepines, anticonvulsants, narcotic antagonists and antipsychotic agents. It is suggested that although more randomized clinical trials are needed with the drugs cited in the present review, that an important future direction would be with drugs that directly modify the complex psychobiology of the human stress response, in general, and PTSD‐related abnormalities, in particular.