J Korean Geriatr Psychiatry.  1998 May;2(1):20-26.

The Biological Treatment of Geriatric Mood Disorders

• Jung IK

Abstract

The aging process makes the changes of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of psychotropic drugs. The author discussed the biological treatment of geriatric mood disorders in this review. In the acute treatment of geriatric mood disorder, there are some different considerations about the biological treatment, such as the poor physical health, the high suicidal risk, the impaired judgment and reality testing, the likelihood of poor compliance, the impaired cognitive functioning, and the lack of social supports. Psychiatrists who prescribe for the mood disorder of the elderly must bear in mind the risks and benifits of pharmacotherpy in a view of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics. The author reviewed the properties and cautions of the classical antidepressant TCAs and newer atypical antidepressants, such as trazodone and venlafaxine. And also the author reviewed the special situations in geriatric mood disorders, which are the delusional depression, the treatment-resistent depression, and the neuropsychiatric disorder.

Keyword

Biological treatment; Geriatric; Mood disorder

MeSH Terms

Aged
Aging
Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation
Compliance
Delusions
Depression
Humans
Judgment
Mood Disorders*
Pharmacokinetics
Psychiatry
Psychotropic Drugs
Reality Testing
Trazodone
Venlafaxine Hydrochloride
Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation
Psychotropic Drugs
Trazodone