Psychopharmacologic approaches to the management of posttraumatic stress disorders in the acute care medical sector.

This pharmacotherapy chapter outlines a series of recommendations regarding the delivery of medications for patients who present with posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and related behavioral and emotional disturbances in the acute care medical setting. These recommendations integrate information previously articulated in PTSD treatment guidelines with clinical experiences derived from real world effectiveness trials. Information from clinical trials suggests that there are patient, provider, and system level considerations that serve to influence the delivery of pharmacotherapeutic interventions targeting PTSD in acute care. The current pharmacotherapy recommendations also integrate considerations regarding the delivery of psychotherapeutic interventions targeting PTSD among injured trauma survivors.