The guidelines provided by the New York State Workers Compensation Board offer general principles for the use of medications in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These directives aim to assist healthcare professionals in determining appropriate strategies for prescribing medications as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for individuals affected by PTSD.
Healthcare practitioners specializing in medications for PTSD can rely on the guidance from the Workers Compensation Board to make well-informed decisions about the most suitable pharmaceutical approaches for managing symptoms in their patients.
It is crucial to emphasize that these guidelines are not intended to replace clinical judgment or professional expertise. The ultimate decision regarding medication use for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder should involve collaboration between the patient and their healthcare provider.
Medications for post traumatic stress disorders
As a general guideline, it’s advisable to continue medications for a year after achieving remission before thinking about gradually reducing the dosage. However, the decision on how long the therapy should last depends on the individual case. Important to note: Prescribers must be aware of potential interactions between drugs and the increased risk of adverse side effects when multiple medications are in play.
This is especially crucial for drugs with sedative, respiratory depressant, habit-forming, or addictive properties. So, extra caution is needed when considering prescribing more than one medication with these characteristics.
Also worth noting: For patients dealing with certain long-term psychiatric conditions and maintaining stable doses of ongoing medication, consistent and uninterrupted dosing is crucial. Therefore, when it makes sense clinically, prescribers might think about providing prescriptions with two to six monthly refills to avoid prescriptions expiring between monthly to tri-monthly follow-up appointments.
