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Alpha-1 Adrenergic Receptor Antagonist

Doxazosin Mesylate, Extended Release for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Phase 2
Waitlist Available
Led By Anne Richards, MD, MPH
Research Sponsored by San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Be older than 18 years old
Must not have
Neurologic disorder or systemic illness affecting central nervous system function
Current use of specific medications with certain properties
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up all subjects will wear the actigraph daily for 7 days at pre-treatment baseline (week 0), 7 days in week 5 of study drug treatment, and at end-of-treatment week 8 prior to drug discontinuation.
Awards & highlights
All Individual Drugs Already Approved
Approved for 5 Other Conditions

Summary

This trial will assess doxazosin's effectiveness for treating nightmares, sleep quality, and other PTSD symptoms in adult male and female veterans with PTSD.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for adult veterans aged 18-75 with PTSD, experiencing nightmares and sleep issues. They can be on certain stable medications like SSRIs but not undergoing specific psychotherapies during the trial. Exclusions include recent trauma, severe substance abuse, psychosis or mania history, unstable medical conditions like heart failure or low blood pressure, pregnancy, and those unsuitable as per investigator's judgment.
What is being tested?
The study tests Doxazosin Mesylate's effectiveness against placebo in reducing PTSD-related nightmares and improving sleep quality. It's a randomized controlled trial where participants don't know if they're getting the actual drug or a dummy pill to ensure unbiased results.
What are the potential side effects?
Doxazosin may cause side effects such as low blood pressure when standing up (orthostatic hypotension), dizziness due to this drop in blood pressure, potential heart rhythm problems (as seen by exclusion criteria), and possibly other mild to moderate symptoms.

Eligibility Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:
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I have a condition affecting my brain or nervous system.
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I am currently taking medications that have specific effects.
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I am not using any non-FDA approved substances or herbal remedies.
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My sleep study shows I have moderate to severe sleep apnea without treatment.
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I do not have any unstable heart, kidney, liver, or pancreas conditions.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~all subjects will wear the actigraph daily for 7 days at pre-treatment baseline (week 0), 7 days in week 5 of study drug treatment, and at end-of-treatment week 8 prior to drug discontinuation.
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and all subjects will wear the actigraph daily for 7 days at pre-treatment baseline (week 0), 7 days in week 5 of study drug treatment, and at end-of-treatment week 8 prior to drug discontinuation. for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
Change in CAPS PTS Symptom Score
Change in Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) Distressing Dream Score
Change in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
Secondary study objectives
Change in minutes of wake after sleep onset (WASO)
Change in sleep maintenance (SM)
Change in total sleep time (TST)
+5 more
Other study objectives
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI)
Male Sexual Health Questionnaire (MSHQ)
+2 more

Awards & Highlights

All Individual Drugs Already Approved
Therapies where all constituent drugs have already been approved are likely to have better-understood side effect profiles.
Approved for 5 Other Conditions
This treatment demonstrated efficacy for 5 other conditions.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Placebo Group
Group I: Doxazosin Mesylate, Extended ReleaseExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Subjects will undergo a 4-week titration phase during which doxazosin may be increased to a maximum dose of 10mg at bedtime based on symptoms and tolerability. After the 4-week titration phase, subjects will continue at stable dose of study medication for a 4-week stable dose phase.
Group II: PlaceboPlacebo Group1 Intervention
Subjects will undergo a 4-week titration phase during which the placebo may be increased to a maximum dose of 10mg at bedtime based on symptoms and tolerability. After the 4-week titration phase, subjects will continue at stable dose of study placebo for a 4-week stable dose phase.

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

United States Department of DefenseFED
909 Previous Clinical Trials
333,616 Total Patients Enrolled
Northern California Institute of Research and EducationOTHER
29 Previous Clinical Trials
10,292 Total Patients Enrolled
San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical CenterLead Sponsor
51 Previous Clinical Trials
211,179 Total Patients Enrolled
~11 spots leftby Nov 2025