A case of PTSD improved by clomipramine hydrochloride and bromazepam

Abstract

Although Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has seldom been discussed in Japan, it is lately becoming remarkable with reference to dissociative disorder, borderline personality disorder and any other psychopathies. A 62- year-old female met with a large earthquake in the Hanshin area of Japan, known as the Great Earthquake of Hanshin. She was shocked a great deal. After that, she bad been mute, hypoactive and apathetic state, having difficulty in eating. Eighteen days after the earthquake, she was admitted to our hospital and showed disturbance of consciousness. Her laboratory data revealed severe dehydration and hypernatremia. We gave her drip infusion and an intensive treatment. Then her general condition gradually recovered in two or three days, but was still suffering from anxiety, irritation, phobia, depression, obsession, sleep disturbance, nightmare and other mental disorders. We diagnosed her as PTSD by a criterion of DSM-IV and gave her some sedatives. Of all those medicines, drip infusion of clomipramine hydrochloride and bromazepam was efficacious. At present, an appropriate treatment of PTSD has not been established, but as suggested in this article, we think that medication of clomipramine hydrochloride and bromazepam is effective for the patients to recover from mental disorders caused by PTSD.