Paroxetine in the treatment of post traumatic stress disorder: Our experiences

Posttraumatic stress disorder can develop after individual's exposure or witnessing of life threatening events. It is chai-actei-ized by three clusters of symptoms. The course of PTSD is often chronic and impedes individual's functioning. Studies of PTSD treatment with paroxetine provide evidence for its efficacy in reducin<(T svnlptc us and its favorable profile of side-effects. The objective of this work was to determine the ef= ficacy of-paroxetme in the treatment of PTSD. The sample consisted of 30 subjects with chronic I'TSD. All subjects received treatment with paroxetine in therapeutic dose range for six months. Subjects were assessed prior to therapy and following six months of treatment with paroxetine with the use of following instruments: SCL. yo-R, Mississippi Questionnaire, and CGI. The results indicate sLabsticalh, sipnificant reduction on all subscales of SCL 9o-R following six months of treatment, P<o,os. The diilerence between two assessments with Mississippi Questionnaire was statistically significant, P< o,os. PTSD rate ill our sample was reduced from box) before treatment to 6q% after treatment. Paroxetine was administered in daily dose of 2o mg in SS;f, of the subjects, and 4o mg in the remaining 12%. Unwanted effects were registered in 16,7 of the subjects and they were mild. Objective improvement was registered in 84% of the.sample, and subjective improvement was re-istered in goY. Reduction of relapse symptoms was registered in 2q.% of the subjects. Paroxetine proved to be efficient and safe in treatment of symptoms of PTSD in this study.