Citation

Seritan AL, McCloud MK, Hinton L. Curr. Psychiatry Rev. 2009; 5(2): 137-142.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Bentham Science Publishers)

DOI

10.2174/157340009788167329

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Late-life depression is the most common mood disorder in the geriatric population. Often encountered in the primary care setting, geriatric depression needs to be appropriately diagnosed and differentiated from medical conditions that can mimic it or present with mood symptoms. This review will help psychiatrists and primary care physicians to screen for, identify possible medical confounders, and treat depression in the elderly. Untreated major depression may lead to increased morbidity and mortality from medical illnesses, and is the strongest risk factor for late-life suicide. Pharmacological approaches should be used in combination with psychotherapies, several of which have solid evidence in geriatric depression. © 2009 Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.

Language: en

Keywords

human; Depression; suicide; Primary care; alcoholism; quality of life; psychotherapy; suicidal ideation; depression; clinical trial; comorbidity; Geriatric; review; motivation; primary medical care; symptomatology; antidepressant agent; disease association; differential diagnosis; geriatric care; psychologic assessment; citalopram; fluoxetine; monoamine oxidase inhibitor; paroxetine; selegiline; serotonin uptake inhibitor; sertraline; tricyclic antidepressant agent; priority journal; cognitive therapy; atherosclerosis; nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; electroconvulsive therapy; heart infarction; grief; drug safety; problem solving; drug dependence; demography; drug efficacy; psychosomatic disorder; irritability; computer assisted tomography; cardiovascular disease; atypical depression; escitalopram; drug half life; Parkinson disease; psychostimulant agent; drug contraindication; Beck Depression Inventory; psychosocial withdrawal; anhedonia; diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders; interpersonal therapy; Geriatric Depression Scale; pseudodementia; electroneurology; patient health questionnaire; Beck Depression Inventory for Primary Care; GDS Short Form; Late-life