Advances in the pathogenesis and pharmacotherapy of acute stress disorder

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a kind of mental disease caused by trauma, which will bring heavy burdens to patients themselves, their family, their work and their lives. Once a person who has suffered a trauma develops post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the quality of life of patients will be overall impaired. It is found that the occurrence of stress disorder is related to the overactivation of hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis (HPA axis). The most commonly used medications for ASD are recommended medications for PTSD, including serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), second-generation antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, beta blockers, and others. The purpose of this article is to systematically organize and review the possible mechanisms of stress disorder and drugs for treatment of ASD.