Doxazosin for the treatment of co-occurring PTSD and alcohol use disorder: Design and methodology of a randomized controlled trial in military veterans.
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorders (AUD) are two of the most common mental health disorders affecting civilians as well as military populations. If left untreated, individuals with co-occurring PTSD/AUD are at increased risk for developing other mental health problems (e.g., depression, anxiety), physical health problems, reduced resiliency and military readiness, and vocational and social impairment. Substantial gaps in the treatment of co-occurring PTSD/AUD exist and there is a critical need to develop more effective pharmacological treatments. The current study addresses this gap in the literature by testing the efficacy and safety of doxazosin, a long-acting and selective alpha-1 adrenergic antagonist, as compared to placebo in reducing PTSD and AUD severity among U.S. military veterans. Noradrenergic dysregulation has been implicated in the development and maintenance of PTSD and AUD, and pilot studies examining doxazosin in PTSD-only or AUD-only samples have shown promise. This is the first study, however, to evaluate doxazosin in a comorbid PTSD/AUD sample. This paper describes the rationale, design and methodology of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of doxazosin (16 mg/day...Continue Reading
References
The role of central noradrenergic dysregulation in anxiety disorders: evidence from clinical studies
Citations
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Anxiety Disorders
Discover the latest research on anxiety disorders including agoraphobia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder here.
Alcohol Use Disorder
Alcohol use disorder involves a pattern of alcohol consumption that includes compulsive use and a loss of control over intake of alcohol. The impact on physical health, socioeconomic factors, and psychiatric health is profound. Find the latest research on alcohol use disorder here.