Treatment of Depression in the Elderly: A Systematic Review
Depression is a common symptom and a major public health problem in the elderly. Despite its prevalence and seriousness, depressive disorder in older people remains under-treated. The optimal treatment of depression in later life is crucial, and requires appreciation of several age-related factors s...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Negah Institute for Scientific Communication
2012-10-01
|
| Series: | Iranian Rehabilitation Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irj.uswr.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-227-4&slc_lang=en&sid=1 |
| _version_ | 1811298052271505408 |
|---|---|
| author | Arash Mirabzadeh Mohammad Reza Khodaei |
| author_facet | Arash Mirabzadeh Mohammad Reza Khodaei |
| author_sort | Arash Mirabzadeh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Depression is a common symptom and a major public health problem in the elderly. Despite its prevalence and seriousness, depressive disorder in older people remains under-treated. The optimal treatment of depression in later life is crucial, and requires appreciation of several age-related factors such as comorbidity, polypharmacy, altered drug kinetics, variable treatment response and increased predisposition to side effects. Although sometimes difficult to diagnose because of concurrent stressors medical illness, or dementia, depression in elderly patients responds readily to appropriate therapy. When untreated, this disorder may result in increased morbidity and mortality or suicide. Effective therapeutic options for late-life depression, as in younger patients, include psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. Because of their favorable adverse effect profiles and safety in cases of overdose, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have, in most cases, replaced tricyclic antidepressants as first-line therapy when antidepressants are indicated. SSRIs considered to have the best safety profile in the elderly are citalopram, escitalopram, and sertraline. Finally, electroconvulsive therapy offers a safe and effective alternative for patients refractory to or unable to tolerate antidepressant medication. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T06:14:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f8bbfe8977084fb8b8b4825fd41954c1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1735-3602 1735-3610 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T06:14:02Z |
| publishDate | 2012-10-01 |
| publisher | Negah Institute for Scientific Communication |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Iranian Rehabilitation Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-f8bbfe8977084fb8b8b4825fd41954c12022-12-22T02:58:56ZengNegah Institute for Scientific CommunicationIranian Rehabilitation Journal1735-36021735-36102012-10-011027691Treatment of Depression in the Elderly: A Systematic ReviewArash Mirabzadeh0Mohammad Reza Khodaei1 Social Determinants of Health Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehablilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Department of Psychitry, University of Social Welfare and Rehablilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Depression is a common symptom and a major public health problem in the elderly. Despite its prevalence and seriousness, depressive disorder in older people remains under-treated. The optimal treatment of depression in later life is crucial, and requires appreciation of several age-related factors such as comorbidity, polypharmacy, altered drug kinetics, variable treatment response and increased predisposition to side effects. Although sometimes difficult to diagnose because of concurrent stressors medical illness, or dementia, depression in elderly patients responds readily to appropriate therapy. When untreated, this disorder may result in increased morbidity and mortality or suicide. Effective therapeutic options for late-life depression, as in younger patients, include psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. Because of their favorable adverse effect profiles and safety in cases of overdose, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have, in most cases, replaced tricyclic antidepressants as first-line therapy when antidepressants are indicated. SSRIs considered to have the best safety profile in the elderly are citalopram, escitalopram, and sertraline. Finally, electroconvulsive therapy offers a safe and effective alternative for patients refractory to or unable to tolerate antidepressant medication.http://irj.uswr.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-227-4&slc_lang=en&sid=1Polypharmacy Depressive disorder Older people |
| spellingShingle | Arash Mirabzadeh Mohammad Reza Khodaei Treatment of Depression in the Elderly: A Systematic Review Iranian Rehabilitation Journal Polypharmacy Depressive disorder Older people |
| title | Treatment of Depression in the Elderly: A Systematic Review |
| title_full | Treatment of Depression in the Elderly: A Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | Treatment of Depression in the Elderly: A Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Treatment of Depression in the Elderly: A Systematic Review |
| title_short | Treatment of Depression in the Elderly: A Systematic Review |
| title_sort | treatment of depression in the elderly a systematic review |
| topic | Polypharmacy Depressive disorder Older people |
| url | http://irj.uswr.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-227-4&slc_lang=en&sid=1 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT arashmirabzadeh treatmentofdepressionintheelderlyasystematicreview AT mohammadrezakhodaei treatmentofdepressionintheelderlyasystematicreview |