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PTSD Can Be Treated with High Blood Pressure
Medications
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It has been observed in recent years that Prazosin, a medication for treating
high blood pressure and prostate enlargement, is also effective for treating post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) even if your blood pressure is normal. This disorder is characterised by feelings
of detachment or emotional numbness, amnesia, a feeling of distorted or altered reality, insomnia
and nightmares and having the feeling of reliving the traumatic experience. If you experience any
of these symptoms, visit a psychiatrist who will evaluate your case and determine the best mode of
treatment for you. Besides Prazosin, a combination of psychotherapy and medications like
anti-depressants, anti-anxiety or anti-psychotic are also used for the treatment of PTSD.
Prazosin belongs to the family of adrenergic antagonists or alpha-blockers that
work to facilitate blood flow by relaxing the blood vessels. It seems that Prazosin blocks the
increase of glucocorticoids, steroid hormones that cause atrophy and cell death in nerves where
impulses are transmitted in the brain. Use of prazosin increases the blood flow to the brain,
hence, preventing or reversing the damage to the nerves caused due to high levels of
glucocorticoids.
If you are prescribed Prazosin by your doctor, then inform him about other
medications you may be taking or surgeries that you have gone through. When buy this medicine, make
sure that you read the patient education material provided with the medicine and discuss it with
the pharmacist, who would be able to explain to you its side effects, precautions and reactions
with other medicines. Moreover, record the changes you feel after the use of Prazosin in a journal
and show it to your doctor when you visit him or when you experience any alarming adverse
affects.
Take the medicine exactly as the doctor has directed. He will probably start
with a low dose and increase it gradually. Prazosin comes in oral capsule form. When you take it
for the first time, do not drive or do anything that requires a lot of attention or is dangerous.
Observe yourself for 24 hours for any side effects that may hamper your daily routine like
drowsiness. Begin by taking the medicine at bedtime to avoid feeling drowsy during the day. Do not
miss a dose and if you do, then do not try to double it up. Furthermore, without the doctor’s
approval do not discontinue its use, even if you start feeling better.
If you feel weak, nauseous, a headache or unexplained fatigue for an extended
period, then tell your doctor about them. These are some common side effects of Prazosin. Call your
doctor immediately if you experience any of these: hives; rashes or itching; priapism (a painful
erection that doesn’t go away); difficulty breathing or chest pain; and fast, pounding or irregular
heart beat.
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