Prevention of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) With Diazepam

PTSD is a pervasive and frequent disorder. Early psychological treatment - but not pharmacology - effectively prevent PTSD. Current pharmacological studies did not include treatment given immediately after trauma exposure. However, a recent study of opiates suggests that their early administration may reduce the likelihood of developing PTSD - possibly by mitigating early post-traumatic distress (UCR) - within an adequate window of time. Benzodiazepines are often used to reduce anxiety and agitation during stressful situations - including traumatic event. These compounds may increase the likelihood of developing PTSD when administered few days after the traumatic event - but their effect as an immediate intervention has not been studied - despite their frequent and uninformed use at this stage. This work will evaluate the effect of diazepam - a BZ compound - on PTSD symptom trajectory following traumatic event in a randomized controlled design. Following the studies of opiates it is hoped that diazepam, administered within hours of the traumatic event, and before the first night sleep (a memory consolidating condition) will reduce the likelihood of developing PTSD. However, an adverse effect cannot be excluded, and thus the investigators posit a bidirectional hypothesis. The importance of this work is that it will provide the necessary evidence to sanction a frequently practiced use of benzodiazepines.