Trends in antidepressant use in the older population: Results from the LASA-study over a period of 10 years

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders 2008-12, Vol.111 (2), p.299-305
• Main Authors: Sonnenberg, C.M, Deeg, D.J.H, Comijs, H.C, van Tilburg, W, Beekman, A.T.F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age Distribution; Age Factors; Aged; Antidepressant drugs; Antidepressive Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Citalopram - therapeutic use; Cognition Disorders - diagnosis; Cognition Disorders - drug therapy; Cognition Disorders - psychology; Comorbidity; Depression; Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - drug therapy; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Depressive Disorder, Major - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder, Major - drug therapy; Depressive Disorder, Major - psychology; Disability Evaluation; Drug Utilization - trends; Elderly; Elderly people; Epidemiology; Geriatric Assessment; Geriatrics; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Medical sciences; Medical treatment; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Netherlands; Neuropharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Prescriptions; Psychiatry; Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer; Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer..., (alzheimer disease); Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Sertraline - therapeutic use; Severity of Illness Index; Time trends; Treatment; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2008.03.009

Abstract Background In the past 15 years, antidepressant use in adults has increased, mainly due to a rise in SSRI-use. The question is if this is true for older adults as well. Methods Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam were used to investigate trends in antidepressant use from 1992 through 2002 in a population-based sample aged 65–85 years. Results Antidepressant use increased from 2% to 6%. In the group with major depressive disorder, treatment with antidepressants showed an increase from 15% to 30%. This increase was larger in the older-old than in the younger old. Also, the increase was mainly due to a rise in SSRI-use. Daily TCA-dosages often were too low; dosages of the other antidepressants seemed to be sufficient. However, rates of depression remained stable, in the treated as well as in the untreated group. Limitations Non-response was associated with depression, the indication for prescription of antidepressants was not known, and serum concentrations of antidepressants were not available. Conclusions Antidepressant use in older people increased over the past 15 years, mainly due to a rise in SSRI-use. Daily dosages of antidepressants had become more adequate. Still only a minority of the more severely depressed used antidepressants.