How to Treat PTSD-Related Sleep Disturbances?
Today’s question is: How to treat sleep disturbances in patients with PTSD? Here is a summary of this episode: Prazosin is recommended as a first-line agent in sleep disturbances in PTSD with an average dose for men at 16 mg and for women, 7 mg titrated over 5 weeks. Trazodone can be used in patients with initial-sleep insomnia with PTSD at a starting dose of 50 mg. Avoid benzodiazepines due to its abuse potential. Also, its cognitive side effects may negatively affect psychotherapy effectiveness. Quetiapine should not be used first-line in the treatment of insomnia. It is associated with weight gain, which is not dose-related. Download a PDF of this interview here Become a premium member of the Psychopharmacology Institute
