Hypertension drug proven to stop post-traumatic complications

A examine led by VA Puget Sound Well being Care System researchers has proven that prazosin, a drug used to deal with hypertension, can forestall posttraumatic complications.

Senior examine writer Dr. Murray Raskind, director of the VA Northwest Psychological Sickness Analysis, Training and Scientific Heart in Seattle, Washington, defined that few remedy choices exist for the sort of headache.

Persistent posttraumatic complications are the most typical long-term consequence of gentle traumatic mind accidents (concussions) in Veterans and active-duty service members, inflicting substantial misery and incapacity at house and work. Though these complications often resemble migraine complications symptomatically, they usually fail to answer the prevention therapies helpful for migraines.”

Dr. Murray Raskind, Director of the VA Northwest Psychological Sickness Analysis, Training and Scientific Heart in Seattle, Washington

The FDA accredited prazosin to deal with hypertension in 1976. It has been extensively used “off-label” to deal with circumstances comparable to PTSD-associated nightmares and enlarged prostate. An earlier examine by members of the analysis group advised that prazosin may scale back the frequency and severity of complications attributable to traumatic mind harm (TBI).

To check this impact, the researchers performed a pilot examine with 48 Veterans and repair members with complications attributable to gentle TBI, also referred to as a concussion. Individuals took regularly rising doses of prazosin for 5 weeks earlier than receiving the utmost dose for 12 weeks. The examine confirmed that the drug was well-tolerated, and researchers reported that morning drowsiness was the one antagonistic impact.

Earlier than the trial started, examine individuals had a mean of 18 headache days every month. By the tip of the 12-week interval, these taking prazosin solely had complications for a mean of six days a month. Individuals receiving a placebo reported some discount in complications, however nonetheless had complications about 12 days a month. Considerably extra individuals within the prazosin group had no less than 50% fewer complications in the course of the 12 weeks of taking a full dose of remedy.

Individuals taking prazosin additionally noticed vital decreases in how a lot complications impacted their high quality of life. By the tip of the trial, these taking prazosin reported that complications had “some impression” on their day by day capacity to operate, whereas individuals given a placebo continued to report “extreme impression” of complications.

Bigger scientific trials are wanted to substantiate the extent of those promising outcomes, in response to the researchers, however these preliminary findings provide a possible aid for a typical ailment confronted by many Veterans.

“This examine is the one scientific trial of an oral remedy to display efficacy for posttraumatic headache. As a result of prazosin is extensively used throughout VA and the Division of Protection to deal with PTSD trauma nightmares and sleep disruption, many VA and DOD prescribers are conversant in prescribing this generically out there, cheap remedy,” stated Raskind. “Prazosin now provides an evidence-based strategy to alleviate the struggling of Veterans and repair members who’ve struggled for years with frequent posttraumatic complications.”

TBI has been known as the “signature harm” of the latest wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2000, greater than 460,000 service members have sustained a TBI, most of which have been gentle TBIs. Complications are widespread following a light TBI, they usually usually turn into persistent and trigger substantial incapacity and misery.

The examine outcomes appeared within the June 14, 2023, concern of Headache, the Journal of Head and Face Ache.