Citation

Tweedy K, Morrison MF, DeMichele SG. Psychiatr. Ann. 2002; 32(7): 417-429.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, Healio)

DOI

10.3928/0048-5713-20020701-09

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Mood disorders in elderly women are likely to be characterized by symptoms that do not meet criteria for major depression. Depressive disorders in this group often present with physical symptoms. This can be confusing because the symptoms may occur in the context of physical illness. Moreover, mortality from medical causes appears to be increased when depression is also present. While the mechanisms underlying these associations have not been determined, effective treatment for the depression might reduce mortality. Therefore, it is imperative that physicians and mental health professionals become aware of the predisposing factors to depression in this subgroup of women (Table 3). The increasing age of the population, which consists predominantly of elderly women, makes research into the role of depression in medical morbidity and mortality, and into developing more effective treatments for depression especially important. As a society, we have difficulty providing medical and emotional support for the elderly. The substantial stresses experienced by elderly women including loneliness, loss of a social role, financial stresses, stresses of caring for an impaired spouse or grandchildren, and the possibility of unrecognized substance abuse need to be recognized by physicians and mental health professionals.

Language: en

Keywords

aging; alprazolam; Alzheimer disease; amitriptyline; androgen; antidepressant agent; antiestrogen; anxiety disorder; apathy; benzodiazepine; bereavement; brain atrophy; breast cancer; bromocriptine; caregiver; cerebrovascular disease; clinical trial; cognition; comorbidity; cytochrome P450; delusion; depression; diagnostic error; disease association; drug metabolism; drug response; dysthymia; electroconvulsive therapy; endocrine system; epidemiological data; estrogen; fluoxetine; frontal lobe; geriatric patient; heart infarction; hormonal therapy; hormone; hormone substitution; human; imaging system; imipramine; levodopa; low drug dose; major depression; methylphenidate; midazolam; mirtazapine; mixed depression and dementia; nefazodone; neuroendocrine disease; neuroendocrine system; neuroleptic agent; neurologic disease; pain; Parkinson disease; prasterone; prasterone sulfate; premenopause; psychosis; psychostimulant agent; psychotherapy; psychotropic agent; review; selegiline; serotonin syndrome; serotonin uptake inhibitor; sertraline; sleep; stroke; substance abuse; suicidal behavior; suicide; terminal disease; testosterone; toxicity; tricyclic antidepressant agent; unindexed drug; venlafaxine; zolpidem