Iranian Journal of War and Public Health

Objective : This study effects of prazosin on the clinical symptoms of chronic combat related posttraumatic stress disorder, into the cases of chronic disorder

Methods: The study group of one type of intervention before and after sampling and testing is also random and has been on the 20 people who were exposed to disasters of war, prazosin an alpha- adrenergic antagonist drug effect on the post traumatic stress disorder symptoms studied. The subjects treated with 5 mg per day(1-2-2mg) prazosin were 6 week and after pharmaceutical intervention intensity and at three categories of symptoms generally re-experiencing symptoms, avoidance/numbness and hyper arousal by the PTSD Checklist- Military(PCL-M) measured, and data were analyzed by paired t test.

Results: Comparison between the average experience symptoms before taking this medication after was(-2.45) there are significant differences.(p=0.008)also mean to the avoidance/ numbness symptoms after taking the drug than before 2.4 decreased and difference was statistically significant(p=0.004)Between mean hyper arousal before taking over and after taking the difference was(-3.05), there is a statically significant(p=0.004).Also mean overall severity of symptoms after intervention 9.7 reduced was that this amount also is statistically significant.(p=0.002) Discussion: Regarding the results of this study, alpha- adrenergic antagonists prazosin 5 mg daily in three dose divided can reduce severity of symptoms overall posttraumatic stress disorder and ameliorate intensity in all three categories symptoms re experience, avoidance/ numbness and hyper arousal in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder