Best antidepressant for the elderly

What is the best depression medication for the elderly? Are antidepressants safe in elderly patients? What are the best prescribed antidepressants?

Which anti depressant does not cause weight gain? Best Antidepressants For the Elderly 1.

TMS ( Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ). CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). Traditional Antidepressant Medications. Electroconvulsive Therapy ( ECT ). An increased incidence of fractures has been seen in elderly patients treated with pregabalin. SSRIs considered to have the best safety profile in the elderly are citalopram , escitalopram , and sertraline.

These have the lowest potential for drug-drug in­teractions based on their cyto­chrome P-4interactions.

Reynolds says many older patients are taken off antidepressant drugs within six months or a year of initial treatment. The problem is most friends are deceased and family is too busy raising kids and working. Ahhh for the days when the eldest son got the farm and the parents. The parents were surrounded by the.

Feeling depressed is NEVER a normal part of aging. Your grandmother is going through a very difficult time in her life right now. Her husband die probably a lot of her firends are dying, and she is facing her own mortality as well.

BENZODIAZEPINES Benzodiazepines are effective in reducing panic attacks and phobic behavior, as well as the anticipatory phase of panic attacks. Drugs in this class include clonazepam (Klonopin) , lorazepam (Ativan) , and alprazolam (Xanax). There are many different types, such as escitalopram , sertraline , and citalopram , which is the most common. These are used frequently with older patients because they interact less with patients that have cardiovascular problems.

Given the high rates of polypharmacy in the elderly, drug interactions are an important consideration. SSRIs such as citalopram and escitalopram (along with non-SSRIs mirtazapine and venlafaxine ) have minimal effect on the cytochrome P4system and so have a reduced risk of pharmacokinetic interactions. Ultimately, depression is the most salient and modifiable risk factor for suicide and effective antidepressant treatment is the best way to reduce suicide rates.

Depression is also associated with cognitive impairment and increased risk for dementia.

Although other psychotropic medications such as benzodiazepines negatively affect cognition. Older Antidepressants May Be Safer For Elderly. Clinical trials of antidepressants in older adults need to be conducted to determine whether one class of drugs is safer than the other. To discuss pharmacologic treatment of depression in the elderly, including choice of antidepressants , titration of dose , monitoring of response and side effects , and treatment of unresponsive cases. There is no single medicine which can be labeled as best antidepressant for anxiety.

This article tries to explore a few of them which are considered to be the most effective in treating depression and anxiety. The drugs that are most commonly used in this category include Valproic acid under the brand name of Depakote for the elderly. It comes in short and long acting kinds of formulations.

The effect usually depends on the dosage administere but it can be generally sedating. If an elderly person is given this medication. Other health conditions.

Some antidepressants may cause problems if you have certain mental or physical health conditions. However, the degree to which Remeron was more effective was not statistically significant compared to Lexapro, Effexor, and Zoloft. TCAs) are equally effective in the elderly , SSRIs tend to be better tolerated and associated with fewer adverse effects. The first antidepressant medications used for depression in the elderly are usually selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs work by increasing brain chemicals that fight depression,.

In the study, adults over who took newer generation antidepressants selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors , or SSRIs had a greater risk having a stroke or seizures than those who took older generation antidepressants, or tricyclic antidepressants, TCAs. Choice of antidepressant. Several antidepressants are efficacious in elderly patients with a major depressive episode without psychotic features.

Selection should be based on the best side effect profile and lowest risk of drug-drug interactions. The TCAs are effective agents in depression in the geriatric population with a long record of success. Nortriptyline is the best tolerated and most studied TCA in this patient group.