DEPRESSION IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING ELDERS - OVERCOMING TREATMENT OBSTACLES WITH NEW ANTIDEPRESSANTS

Depression in community-dwelling elders is common and can have grave c onsequences if left untreated. All antidepressant medications have com parable efficacy but dissimilar side effects and usefulness in the pre sence of comorbid conditions. The proper selection of an antidepressan t medication should include cost and compliance considerations as well as the potential for drug-drug, drug-food, and drug-disease interacti ons. Additionally, awareness of specific drug characteristics (half-li fe, route of metabolism and elimination) will further aid in the prope r and effective use of antidepressant medications. Newer is not always better, but certainly the antidepressants that have become available over the past decade offer distinct advantages over older medications, particularly in older patients. PGM.