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Prazosin treatment of trauma nightmares and sleep disturbance in soldiers deployed in Iraq
Author(s) -
Calohan Jess,
Peterson Kris,
Peskind Elaine R.,
Raskind Murray A.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.20570
Subject(s) - prazosin , sleep disorder , disturbance (geology) , psychology , psychiatry , sleep (system call) , clinical psychology , medicine , insomnia , antagonist , receptor , computer science , operating system , paleontology , biology
Trauma nightmares and sleep disturbance impair combat soldiers' functioning. The alpha‐1 adrenoreceptor antagonist prazosin has been demonstrated effective for these symptoms in Vietnam veterans. Thirteen soldiers seeking relief from distressing trauma nightmares impairing military function in northern Iraq in 2006 received prazosin alone or in combination with other psychotropics. Mean prazosin dose was 4.1 ( SD = 2.2) mg before bed. Six soldiers improved markedly and 3 moderately on the Clinical Global Impression of Change Ratings of distressing dreams decreased from an average of 7.0 ( SD = 0.7) to 2.9 ( SD = 3.0, p < .001) and those of disturbed sleep from 6.7 ( SD = 0.9) to 3.7 ( SD = 2.4, p < .001). Prazosin appears effective and well tolerated in the desert warfare environment.