Pathophysiology
What is GABA? What does it do?
Gamma Aminobutyric Acid
GABA is a calming neurotransmitter and is a part of the CNS. It regulates our stress response, emotions, and our registration and encoding of fear memory.
How many clusters did the DMS-5 divide the symptoms into?
4
What are the possible treatments for PTSD?
Therapy, medications, and lifestyle changes.
What is the DSM-5?
A self-report measure that helps quantify the severity of symptoms across the four diagnostic clusters: intrusion, avoidance, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and hyperarousal.
What is PTSD
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
What causes GABA to dysregulate?
Excessive trauma and stress
What is the first cluster? Give an example.
I.E., Anything to do with recollection of traumatic events or response to triggers(nightmares, etc.)
What therapy focuses on assisting a patient to modify the trauma?
Cognitive Processing Therapy
What score is considered clinically significant?
A score of 33 or higher
What percent of Americans are likely to have PTSD?
6-8%
What does the monoaminergic system include?
Serotonin, dopamine, and epinephrine
What is the second cluster? Give an example.
Avoidance
I.E., the patient will avoid triggers (such as people, places, or memories).
What is the care plan for PTSD patients?
The care plan for the patient would be to appropriately screen them, coordinate the appropriate treatment based on what they tell you and what exactly needs to be done, and lastly follow up appointment so the nurse can see the patient is adhering to the set guidelines for them.
What test can detect substance misuse amongst patients with PTSD?
Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
OR AUDIT-C
True or False: Everyone who experiences trauma will have PTSD.
False
Only about 20% of trauma survivors will develop PTSD.
How does trauma affect the SNS?
When trauma occurs, the sympathetic nervous system activates, resulting in elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate, and neuroendocrine responses, including the release of cortisol.
What is the third cluster? Give an example.
Negative alterations in cognition and mood
I.E., immense negative beliefs in themselves and others, amnesia of important aspects of the traumatic event, etc.
Name any ONE medication that might be used as treatment for a patient with PTSD
Fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, and venlafaxine.
Why is the CAPS-5 regarded as the gold standard?
Because it provides a structured interview to assess symptom frequency, intensity, and functional impairment
As nurses, what can we do when encountering a PTSD patient?
(ANYTHING ALONG THESE LINES WILL GET POINTS)
If we notice something, we should speak with the patient to address the issue so we can provide them with the help they need.
Advocation
Speaking and interacting in a calm and respectful manner
What lobes of the brain are affected by a reduced level of GABA when a patient is experiencing sleeping disorders?
The occipital and temporal lobes
What is the fourth cluster? Give an example.
Behavior reactivity/irritability and arousal dysregulation OR hyperarousal
I.E., persistent irritability, "fight-or-flight," being "on-edge," etc.
We mentioned two promising new treatments that can help with PTSD treatment. Name at least ONE.
Virtual reality exposure therapy and MDMA assisted therapy.
What is a PET scan, and what does it do?
Positron Emission Tomography
A PET scan is an imaging test that reveals the metabolic and biochemical functions of the body's tissues and organs.
False
Trauma responses are unpredictable, and not everyone reacts the exact same way