Treatment for People with Elderly Depression and Multiple Medical Problems
The elderly depression study also showed that older people with multiple chronic physical disorders did not do as well on paroxetine as those with fewer medical problems, although they did show some benefit.
The authors concluded that the additional burden of having chronic and disabling diseases often creates elderly depression, making it more difficult to treat.
Despite this, the researchers indicate that maintenance antidepressant medication may be effective in primary care settings where patients have multiple chronic diseases.
"What makes this study so practical is that it shows you can combine chronic disease management of depression with the chronic disease management of other illnesses to benefit both the patient's mental illness as well as their physical illness," Reynolds said.
For more information about about the success rate for long-term improvement of elderly depression, see page 1.
For more information on elderly depression and treatment options for elderly depression, see Depression in Older Adults from the National Institute of Mental Health.
Source: New England Journal of Medicine, March 16, 2006 and a news release from the National Institute of Mental Health.
