Description

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) involves a group of symptoms experienced after exposure to a potentially traumatic event. Symptoms may include re-experiencing the event; avoiding situations that trigger memories of that event; experiencing increased negative feelings and beliefs; experiencing feelings of hyperarousal; these feelings may include irritability, agitation, anger, or being on alert; and experiencing various combinations of these indicators. The traumatic event (stressor) must involve either witnessing an actual or threatened death or serious injury or other threat to one’s physical integrity or witnessing an event that involves death, injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of another person. Alternatively, the event must involve learning about unexpected or violent death, serious harm, or threat of death or injury experienced by a family member or other close associate. Some traumatic events that are directly experienced include military combat, violent personal assault, being part of a hostage situation, a terrorist attack, torture, natural or manmade disasters, and being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. They can also comprise relational trauma such as sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and domestic violence. Not all people exposed to a potentially traumatic event, however, go on to develop posttraumatic stress symptoms and PTSD. This systematic review uses current methods to update a report published in 2013 that evaluated psychological and pharmacological treatments of adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This review focuses on updating the earlier work, expanding the range of treatments examined, addressing earlier uncertainties, identifying ways to improve care for PTSD patients, and reducing variation in existing treatment guidelines.

Author: And Quality, Agency for Healthcare Resea

Topic: Medical / Nursing
Media: Book
ISBN: 1090533713
Language: English
Pages: 622