An Evidence-Based Approach to Emergency Department Patients at Risk for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms (Trauma CME and Behavioral Health CME)

Points & Pearls Excerpt

• Trauma and acute medical emergencies can be psychologically disturbing, resulting in posttraumatic stress disorder symptom (PTSS).
• Acute stress contributes to both short- and long-term psychiatric disorders, poor general health and quality of life, pain, disability, and higher risk for all-cause mortality.³⁰
• Up to 25% of patients with respiratory or cardiovascular emergencies developed PTSS within 1 month of the event;¹⁷ 42% reported PTSS within 8 weeks of a motor vehicle crash;¹⁹ and 43% reported PTSS following assaultive trauma.²⁰
• PTSS are normal responses to trauma; some 80% of patients will recover from PTSS without intervention; failure to recover after 1 month may be characterized as PTSD.