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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
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Although many veterans may return home with no physical signs of injury, many suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome. While many doctors have recommended a medicine that blocks chemicals in the brain to treat this condition, research published in the American Journal of Psychiatry shows that this treatment is of no benefit.
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric condition that may occur after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, such as military combat, natural disasters or abuse. Those with PTSD may have difficulty sleeping, feel detached and may re-live their episodes through nightmares or flashbacks. This condition affects 8% of Americans and has been noted in nearly 30% of Vietnam vets.
People with PTSD have increased levels of the chemical norepinephrine in their brains. Since guanfacine blocks the effects of norepinephrine, it has been widely assumed that it would have an effect in easing the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
To test the benefit of this medicine, researchers randomly assigned 63 veterans to receive either guanfacine or placebo. By the end of the study, the researchers found no difference between treatment groups in terms of number of flashbacks, degree of anxiousness or quality of sleep. The side effects of the medicine included sedation, fatigue, and dry mouth.
While more that 20 scientific papers and guidelines have been written to support the use of this medicine in PTSD, this is the first randomized clinical trial to evaluate its use. Given these findings, until another drug is found to be effective, treatment of PTSD should likely focus on antidepressants or psychotherapy. This includes “exposure therapy” where the patient is slowly desensitized to the traumatic event.
The unexpected results of the study clearly highlight the danger of making medical decisions based on faulty scientific assumptions.
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