Long-term depression in geriatric patients

Abstract

The elderly people are a population group for which long-term treatment of depression is especially indicated. The recurrence rate ranges between 50-90% of cases for a period of two or three years. Risk factors are similar to those of younger adults, but somatic comorbidity, presence of cerebrovascular damage and cognitive impairment, or the existence of adverse socioeconomic situations, are especially frequent among the elderly. In spite of remarkable methodologic differences between the different publications regarding clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of the samples, various studies support the maintenance treatment of depression in the elderly. The mean recurrence rate in those groups with active pharmacological treatment was of 29%, whilst for placebo it was of 57%. Maintenance of the antidepressive treatment with the same substance and at the same response dose is recommended, adjusting it depending on the therapeutic response, tolerance profile and pharmacological interactions.