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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder > Drug Therapy Author: Jeffrey P. Staab, MD, MS
Editorial changes - 2008-08-26
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Rationale:

  • Some patients may benefit from the anxiolytic or hypnotic effects that a benzodiazepine can add to an antidepressant.

Evidence:

  • No studies have shown consistent efficacy for benzodiazepines in PTSD 41.
  • The only positive data come from a single study that showed no decrease in symptoms but a reduction in health care use among some combat veterans with PTSD who were taking benzodiazepines (42).
  • Experts in the field consider benzodiazepines to be second- or third-line medications (1; 4).

Comments:

  • None.
FAQs
Jeffrey P. Staab, MD, MS, is a consultant for Eli Lilly, Forest Laboratories, received honorarium from Abbott Laboratories, received grants from GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer. Michael Roy, MD, editorial consultant, received honorarium from PFizer.

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