Consensus statement on posttraumatic stress disorder from the international consensus group on depression and anxiety

Objective: To provide primary care clinicians with a better understanding o f management issues in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and guide clini cal practice with recommendations on the appropriate management strategy. P articipants: The 4 members of the International Consensus Group on Depressi on and Anxiety were James C. Ballenger (chair), Jonathan R. T. Davidson, Yv es Lecrubier, and David J. Nutt. Other faculty invited by the chair were Ed na B. Foa, Ronald C. Kessler, Alexander C. McFarlane, and Arieh Y. Shalev. Evidence: The consensus statement is based on the 6 review articles that ar e published in this supplement and the scientific literature relevant to th e issues reviewed in these articles. Consensus process: Group meetings were held over a 2-day period. On day 1, the group discussed the review article s and the chair identified key issues for further debate. On day 2, the gro up discussed these issues to arrive at a consensus view. After the group me etings, the consensus statement was drafted by the chair and approved by al l attendees. Conclusion: PTSD is often a chronic and recurring condition as sociated with an increased risk of developing secondary comorbid disorders, such as depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are generally the most appropriate choice of first-line medication for PTSD, and effectiv e; therapy should be continued for 12 months or longer. The most appropriat e psychotherapy is exposure therapy, and it should be continued for 6 month s, with follow-up therapy as needed.