Propranolol May Help PTSD Patients Receiving Exposure Therapy

While exposure therapy is recognized as one of the best strategies for treating patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), many continue to experience significant problems. A study published in AJP in Advancesuggests that patients with PTSD who take propranolol (a noradrenergic beta-receptor blocker) prior to recalling their traumatic event may experience greater PTSD symptom reduction than those who do not take the medication.“PTSD participants who actively recalled their traumatic event under the influence of propranolol once a week for up to six weeks showed a substantial decrease in symptom ratings compared with placebo,” wrote Alain Brunet, Ph.D., of McGill University and colleagues. “The decrease was evident from both the clinician’s and the participant’s perspective.”