Geodon (Ziprasidone) for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD is a common disorder with 10% lifetime prevalence among Americans. The major causes of PTSD are sexual assault, accidents, disasters Despite this public health burden, only two drugs, sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Paxil), are approved by the FDA for the treatment of PTSD. New options for the treatment of PTSD are much needed. Approximately half of patients with PTSD respond to Zoloft and Paxil. Many patients experience psychotic symptoms with PTSD, which may not respond to treatment to Zoloft and Paxil. Though classified as an anxiety disorder in the DSM-IV, PTSD is accompanied by psychotic symptoms in almost half of patients (Butler et al 1996; Hamner et al 1999, Lindley et al 2000). Also, PTSD has an extensive comorbidity with major depressive disorder (Davis et al 2000). While Geodon is approved by the FDA in the United States for the treatment of psychosis, it has not been evaluated for the treatment of PTSD . A clinical trial of Geodon in PTSD will help delineate the potential antidepressant spectrum of efficacy of Geodon as well as its anxiolytic profile.