Acute stress reaction and post-traumatic stress disorder
EBM Guidelines
May 22, 2020 • Latest change Aug 31, 2020
Table of contents
Extract
- The psychological responses to highly traumatic events are usually divided into two
categories: stress reactions and stress disorders.
- A stress reaction is in principle a normal reaction to an excessively traumatic event and does not always require medical care. An acute stress reaction is not anymore a diagnosis, but instead it is regarded as a factor affecting a person's state of health.
- A stress disorder usually requires medical intervention.
- Consider the possibility of post-traumatic stress disorder if the patient has experienced an exceptionally stressful and psychologically traumatic incident or event within the past six months.
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Linked evidence summaries
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- Pharmacotherapy, especially with SSRIs, may be effective in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For prevention of PTSD, hydrocortisone and propranolol may be effective but there is no evidence for other medications in that indication.C
Search terms
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