Prazosin for Treating Noncombat Trauma Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

• Clinical Global Impression of Change [ Time Frame: Baseline to Week 8 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  The Clinical Global Impression of Change is a 7-point scale that rates global change compared to baseline (1=markedly improved, 2=moderately improved, 3=minimally improved, 4=no change, 5=minimally worse, 6=moderately worse, 7=markedly worse). The Clinical Global Impression of Change is used to determine the impact of treatment effects on meaningful and distinct change in overall sense of well-being and functioning. This outcome measure evaluates change from Baseline to Week 8.
  
  
• Change in Recurring Distressing Dreams and Difficulty Falling and Staying Asleep Items of the CAPS [ Time Frame: Baseline to Week 8 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Item B-2 "recurrent distressing dreams of the event" is a single item from teh Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). The rating consists of two parts: Frequency plus Intensity. Symptom frequency rated 0 to 4. Symptom intensity rated 0 to 4. Frequency plus Intensity ratings equal the total score. The total minimum score = zero. The total maximum score = 8. A higher score is worse; a lower score is better. This outcome measure evaluates the change in score from Baseline to Week 8.
  
  
• Change in Sleep Assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [ Time Frame: Baseline to Week 8 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index is a self-report questionnaire assessing sleep quality and disturbances over a 1-month time interval. A global score is obtained by summing the seven component subscales (total score range: 0-21). A score of 5 or less indicates good sleep quality. A score of more than 5 indicates poor sleep quality. Change is measured from Baseline to Week 8.
  
  

• Total CAPS Score [ Time Frame: Measured at Weeks 4 and 8 post-treatment ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• CAPS Subscale Scores ("Reexperiencing/Intrusions", "Avoidance/Numbing", and "Hyperarousal") [ Time Frame: Measured at Weeks 4 and 8 post-treatment ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Measures of Nightmare Frequency, Depressive Signs and Symptoms, Quality of Life, and Number of Study Days Completed [ Time Frame: Measured at Weeks 4 and 8 post-treatment ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. People with PTSD have persistent frightening thoughts and memories of their past ordeal and often feel emotionally numb, especially with people to whom they were once close. PTSD was first recognized in male combat veterans. Today, however, the majority of people who have PTSD are young women who have experienced non combat-related trauma, such as sexual or physical assault or a life-threatening illness or accident. The disorder can be short-lived, but PTSD can also become chronic, with long lasting symptoms that are often treatment-resistant, possibly causing severe functional disability. Frequent trauma-related nightmares and other debilitating sleep disruptions are examples of chronic PTSD symptoms for which an effective treatment has not been developed. Sertraline and paroxetine, both selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are the only drugs approved by the FDA for treating PTSD. Neither of them, however, has been effective in reducing PTSD-related sleep disruption. Studies have shown that the drug prazosin has been effective in reducing distressing trauma-related nightmares in older male combat veterans. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of prazosin in treating post-traumatic stress disorder caused by noncombat trauma in individuals already being treated with SSRIs.

Participants in this double-blind study will first undergo 12 weeks of treatment with psychotherapy and a standard SSRI. After 12 weeks, participants will be randomly assigned to receive either prazosin or placebo in addition to psychotherapy and standard SSRI treatment for a total of 8 weeks. Study visits will occur weekly for the first 12 weeks, and then at Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 during the 8-week phase. Additionally, follow-up visits will be held 4 and 18 weeks post-intervention. PTSD symptoms, disorder severity, and frequency of sleep disturbances will be assessed.