𝔖 Bobbio Scriptorium
✦   LIBER   ✦

The additional benefit of extending an antidepressant trial past seven weeks in the depressed elderly

✍ Scribed by Dr. Anastasios Georgotas; Robert E. McCue


Publisher
John Wiley and Sons
Year
1989
Tongue
English
Weight
365 KB
Volume
4
Category
Article
ISSN
0885-6230

No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.

✦ Synopsis


Thirty-three elderly depressed patients who had not responded to either phenelzine or nortriptyline after seven weeks of treatment were given an additional two weeks of treatment. Nearly half of these patients responded during this grace period and the overall response rate increased from 54.0% to 70.0%. Patients on phenelzine did particularly well with the extended trial. The authors conclude that for elderly patients, an antidepressant trial of at least two months may be necessary for optimal response. KEY woms-Geriatric depression, antidepressants, length of treatment.