Administration of Prazosin to Prevent PTSD in Adult Women After Sexual Assault

• Status: Recruiting
• Trial end date: 2021-08-20
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: Female

Summary

This study plans to learn more about whether taking the medication, Prazosin, immediately and during the weeks immediately following a traumatic event can help to reduce the risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Early post traumatic event sleep disturbance predicts the later development of PTSD. Prazosin has shown some effectiveness in reducing trauma related nightmares and sleep disturbance. We hypothesize that regulating sleep immediately after a sexual assault will reduce PTSD and diminish symptoms.

• Phase: Phase 4
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of Colorado, Denver
• Treatments: Prazosin

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female patients between the ages of 18 years and 50 years

• Victim of sexual assault/rape

• Able to understand consent procedure

• Discharged to home

Exclusion Criteria:

• Admitted to inpatient unit

• Previous diagnosis of PTSD

• Contra-indications to prazosin: orthostatic hypotension, right heart failure, use of anti-hypertensive medication, 5-phosphodiesterase inhibitors (sildenafil) or diuretic, history of syncope or severe unexplained faintness, known hypersensitivity to quinazolines

• Hemodynamically unstable

• Current use of over the counter, prescribed, or use of other drugs for insomnia

• Dependence on alcohol, opiates or other illegal drugs

• History of psychotic disorder

• Suicidal risk defined by a positive response on the 3-item assessment, standard protocol in the ED

• Current use of morphine or methadone

• Pregnant or breastfeeding

• Known hepatic dysfunction

• Cardiac or vascular history including coronary artery disease

• Narcolepsy

• History of sleep apnea

• Returning to chronic domestic abuse situation