This review provides a practical approach for primary care physicians to recognize, diagnose, and manage depression in elderly patients.
May inform primary care vigilance for suicide and neurological issues in elderly depression; leaves open validation of recommendations in prospective trials.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to provide a brief and practical approach for the primary care physician regarding the recognition, diagnosis, and management of depression in elderly patients. METHOD: Empirical evidence and current recommendations regarding the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of depression are reviewed as the basis for this approach. Appropriate modifications for geriatric depression are added where indicated. RESULTS: The recommendations are listed by category and briefly explained. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to be vigilant for the variety of depressive presentations that occur in older primary care patients. Neurological causes of depression (such as stroke), suicide, and a longer time to recovery are all more frequent concerns in older depressed patients.
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Conn et al. (1997) studied this question.
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