The psyche of the elderly - implications for emergency medical services

various somatic and psychiatric symptoms has to be expected which seem unre lated to the underlying disorder. The clinical reality is determined by mul timorbidity and polypharmacotherapy. Psychiatric disorders often trigger th e development or the exacerbation of already existing physical disorders. O n the other hand, as one gets older, physical illnesses cause increasingly psychological and psychiatric symptoms. Frequently only these symptoms init iate the admission to a health care institution or medical doctor. This art icle aims to give a brief and systematic overview on the epidemiology of ps ychiatric disturbances in elderly patients, the relationship between psychi atric and somatic disorders, their diagnosis and treatment.