Tag archives for Elderly

Depression In The Elderly: Treatment Of Depression

Posted By Kelly On Tuesday, December 22nd 2009   under:  Depression   Tags: , , , , ,    
Treatment of depressive disorders may involve psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, or both. Studies have shown that for mild depression, psychotherapy was more effective than placebo. For major depressive disorder (illness), psychopharmacologic treatment was more effective than psychotherapy alone. The most effective treatment with better long-term outcomes has been achieved with psychopharmacologic treatment combined with psychotherapy. Treatment of a depressive disorder must begin with a comprehensive evaluation ... Read More

Depression In The Elderly: Outcome Of Depressive Disorder. Suicide

Posted By Kelly On Monday, December 21st 2009   under:  Depression   Tags: , , ,    
Depressive disorder untreated can last 7 to 14 months and longer than 2 years. In the elderly, a pathological grieving process that has progressed to an episode of depressive illness may last 5 years or longer. Studies of the outcome of depressive episodes among psychiatric patients have shown rates of relapse that ranged from 5% to 52%. Some 15% to 67% of patients with depressive ... Read More

Depression In The Elderly: Presentation Of Depression In The Elderly

Posted By Kelly On Sunday, December 20th 2009   under:  Depression   Tags: , , ,    
The fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) enumerates a total of nine criteria for the diagnosis of major depressive disorder; two are required and another five of the remaining seven are necessary to make the diagnosis. Studies summarized in the first section of this article have reported on the presence of four types of depressive disorders in the elderly. These ... Read More

Depression In The Elderly: Epidemiologic Studies Of Depression

Posted By Kelly On Saturday, December 19th 2009   under:  Depression   Tags: , , ,    
Major depressive disorder occurs throughout the life cycle. Longitudinal data suggest a changing pattern in the age of onset in the United States. In more recent birth cohorts, the rates of major depression were higher and the age of onset was younger. The lifetime prevalence rates for major depression per 100 population were determined in five US cities by the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Survey (ECA). ... Read More

Antidepressants and Elderly

Posted By Kelly On Thursday, November 12th 2009   under:  Antidepressants   Tags: , , ,    
Risk from SSRIs highest in those over 80, says study The latest generation of antidepressants may have a nasty side effect in older patients, says a new Canadian study. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, a class of antidepressants that includes Prozac and Paxil, increase the risk of upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in elderly patients, according to research. Lead author Dr. Carl van Walraven, an assistant professor of medicine at the Ottawa Health ... Read More

The Elderly: Insomnia, Depression, and Suicide Risk. Part 3

Posted By Kelly On Monday, November 9th 2009   under:  Disorders   Tags: , , , ,    
General Principles of Pharmacologic Intervention A thorough history, physical examination, and basic laboratory studies are important to fully evaluate the patient and rule out medical and medication-related causes of insomnia and depression. Additionally, the selection of the appropriate antidepressant medication (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants , monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or atypical antidepressants), adequate dosages, and a sufficient trial period are imperative in the treatment of depression in the elderly. ... Read More

The Elderly: Insomnia, Depression, and Suicide Risk. Part 2

Posted By Kelly On Monday, November 9th 2009   under:  Disorders   Tags: , , , ,    
Depression, Morbidity, and Suicide Risk Why is it so important to assess the risk for depression in a senior with insomnia who may not feel comfortable with the subject or who feels stigmatized by self-reporting a depressed mood? As mentioned earlier, a depressive disorder is among the most common causes for sleep disturbances in the elderly. Furthermore, depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders among the elderly, with ... Read More

The Elderly: Insomnia, Depression, and Suicide Risk. Part 1

Posted By Kelly On Monday, November 9th 2009   under:  Disorders   Tags: , , , ,    
The notion that aging is a multifactorial process is commonly accepted. Many of the age-related changes that occur in a senior's nervous system have an impact on the function of sleep. In the elderly, sleeping difficulties often occur in conjunction with depression. Because depression raises the risk of suicide in this population, it is important for pharmacists to question their elderly patients about sleeping difficulties. Sleep Difficulties Increase With Aging Complaints ... Read More

Seniors Downplay Clinical Depression

Posted By Kelly On Monday, November 9th 2009   under:  Depression   Tags: ,    
Attitudes of Older Americans Toward Depression Percent of Americans 65 years or older Know Little 68% View as Health Problem 38% Seek Professional Help 38% Only 38% see depression as a health problem. Depression is still mostly a “hidden” disease, as cancer used to be. In spite of more publicity about the condition in the past few years, and more and better drug therapies, only 38% of Americans age 65 and older believe that clinical depression (depression that ... Read More

Depression in the Elderly

Posted By Kelly On Monday, November 9th 2009   under:  Depression   Tags: ,    
Depression in late life is a treatable disorder and is not a part of the normal aging process, points out Ira R. Katz, M.D., a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center. Primary-care doctors, however, often overlook or misdiagnose depression in older people (those over age 75), said Dr. Katz. Of those older persons who are depressed, only one in six will be properly diagnosed and treated. ... Read More
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