The Impact of Trends in Psychotropic Prescribing on the Method of Suicide in the Elderly

2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajit Shah ◽  
Lubbaba Lodhi
Keyword(s):  
Psychotropic Drugs ◽  
Serotonin Reuptake ◽  
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors ◽  
Prescribing Patterns ◽  
Selective Serotonin ◽  
Hypnotics And Sedatives ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Elderly Suicide

Suicide rates in the elderly have declined in many countries in recent years. This decline has been reported to be associated with increased prescribing of antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antipsychotics and antimanic drugs and reduced prescribing of barbiturates, hypnotics and sedatives. This study examined the relationship between prescribing patterns of individual psychotropic drugs and suicide rates by specific methods of elderly suicides. There was a negative correlation between the prescription of tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, antimanic drugs and non-opiate analgesics and a decline in elderly suicide rates due to poisoning by solid and liquid substances, hanging, strangulation and suffocation, drowning, firearms and explosives, and jumping from high places. There was a positive correlation between the prescription of barbiturates, hypnotics and sedatives and elderly suicide rates due to poisoning by solid and liquid substances, hanging, strangulation and suffocation, drowning, firearms and explosives, and jumping from high places. This study demonstrated that changes in prescribing patterns of individual psychotropic drugs do influence elderly suicide rates of the commonly used methods of suicide and suggest that this may be due to more accurate diagnostic-specific prescribing of psychotropic drugs.

Clinical comparison of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in the treatment of geriatric depression: a review of literature

2000 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 349-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Marc Patel
Keyword(s):  
Side Effect ◽  
Serotonin Reuptake ◽  
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
The United States ◽  
Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors ◽  
Selective Serotonin ◽  
Geriatric Depression ◽  
First Choice

IntroductionWith their ease of administration, relatively benign side-effect profile and safety in overdose, in the United States the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have become de facto first choice in the treatment of geriatric depression, displacing tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). In this paper, the relevant literature regarding neurochemistry, kinetics, dosing, efficacy and differential side-effect profiles of citalopram, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, sertraline, and paroxetine, the five currently available SSRIs in the USA, will be reviewed with special emphasis on geriatric data. Of late, considerable controversy has been generated regarding whether SSRIs are as effective as TCAs in severe and melancholic depressive subtypes. This important issue will be explored and the relative utility of all the SSRIs in the elderly patient compared and contrasted. Finally, reasons for difficulties in comparing results across studies will be elucidated.

Efficacy and Tolerability of Moclobemide in Comparison with Placebo, Tricyclic Antidepressants, and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in Elderly Depressed Patients: A Clinical Overview

1997 ◽  
Vol 42 (10) ◽  
pp. 1043-1050 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roman Amrein ◽  
Max Stabl ◽  
Stephan Henauer ◽  
Eva Affolter ◽  
Iris Jonkanski
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Events ◽  
Serotonin Reuptake ◽  
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors ◽  
Safety Data ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Similar Efficacy ◽  
Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors ◽  
Selective Serotonin ◽  
Depressed Patients ◽  
Tetracyclic Antidepressants

Objective: To review the efficacy and safety of moclobemide in comparison with TCAs(for our purposes, “TCAs” will represent tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants, including maprotilin and mianserin) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in elderly depressed patients. Methods: The efficacy data reviewed were obtained from the following sources: 1) results of published studies in the elderly; 2) data on patients aged ≥ 60 years extracted from all available controlled trials in adults (≥ 18 years) in which moclobemide was compared with TCAs or SSRIs; and 3) the adverse events were extracted for patients aged ≥ 60 years from the safety data base of all available comparative short-term studies with moclobemide versus TCAs, SSRIs, or placebo and of long-term studies with moclobemide. Results: The data show that moclobemide is an effective antidepressant in depressed patients aged ≥ 60 years. The response rate to moclobemide was 50% to 55% in this population. Moclobemide was more effective than placebo and was of similar efficacy to the TCAs and the more recently introduced SSRIs. The tolerability of moclobemide was rated as “very good” or “good” in almost 90% of these patients, which was better than the tolerability of TCAs and similar to that of SSRIs. Patients without any adverse events were more frequently found in the moclobemide group than in those treated with TCAs (P < 0.01) or SSRIs (P < 0.01). Adverse events of the anticholinergic type were more frequent with TCAs than with moclobemide (P < 0.001), and nausea was found 3 times more frequently with SSRIs than with moclobemide (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Moclobemide is an effective and well-tolerated antidepressant for the treatment of elderly depressed patients.

scholarly journals Analysis of antidepressant prescribing tendencies in Lithuania in 2003–2004

Medicina ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 412
Author(s):  
Mantas Jakimavičius ◽  
Audrius Sveikata ◽  
Paulius Vainauskas ◽  
Rimas Jankūnas ◽  
Loreta Mikučionytė ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Elderly Patients ◽  
Serotonin Reuptake ◽  
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors ◽  
Prescribing Patterns ◽  
Selective Serotonin ◽  
Duration Of Treatment ◽  
Defined Daily Doses ◽  
Antidepressant Use

Depression is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, affecting 121 million people in whole world. In many developed countries, the number of prescriptions for antidepressants increased steeply during the 1990s. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antidepressant prescribing patterns in all regions of Lithuania during 2003–2004, to analyze the use within different antidepressant groups, and to examine trends in age- and gender-specific antidepressant use. Antidepressants were classified into three groups according to Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification specifying the defined daily doses. The results of our study show an increase in the use of reimbursed antidepressants except tricyclic in 2004 when compared to 2003. Increase in the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and other nontricyclic antidepressants is probably related to their better tolerability, improved risk-benefit ratio, and less toxicity in overdose. There was no increase in the percentage of consumed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in elderly patients when compared with younger ones, despite elderly patients are most likely to benefit from reduced sedation, less antimuscarinic and less cardiac toxicity of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The prevalence of the antidepressant use is the highest among middle-aged people (40–59 years), while the young (under 20) and elderly (older than 70) patients receive mostly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Additional studies should be carried out in order to assess drug-prescribing patterns in accordance with the guidelines of depression treatment in Lithuania considering diagnosis, dosage, and duration of treatment.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document