Posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) is a very complex disorder that is theoretically involve in profound alterations of various psychobiological systems, such as noradrenergic system, serotonergic system, dopaminergic system, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis(HPA) system, opiate system, genetic, thyroid function, and sleep, and fundamental psychobiological function such as information processing, conditioning, appraisal and memory appear to be altered in PTSD patients.
The primary goals of using medication in PTSD are as follows:
-reduction of frequency and/or severity of reexperience, avoidance, psychic numbing and hyperarousal symptoms.
-reduction in tendency to interpret incoming stimuli as recurrences of the trauma
-reduction of impulsive aggression, psychotic or dissociative symptoms, and depressed mood
The clinical research of pharmacotherapy for PTSD is small and inconsistent, and there is no choice of drug to prescibe due to complexity of PTSD. Therefore, the pharmacotherapy for PTSD considers mutisystematic approaches and drugs of specific therapeutic action should be used simultaneously.
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