Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Minor depression, which is more common than major depression in elderly patients, may follow a major depressive episode. It also can be a reaction to routine stressors in older populations. 15–50% of patients with minor depression develop major depression within two years. [68]
Malnutrition and poor nutritional status is an area of concern, affecting 12% to 50% of hospitalized elderly patients and 23% to 50% of institutionalized elderly patients living in long-term care facilities such as assisted living communities and skilled nursing facilities. [20]
The risk factors [110] for treatment resistant depression are: the duration of the episode of depression, severity of the episode, if bipolar, lack of improvement in symptoms within the first couple of treatment weeks, anxious or avoidant and borderline comorbidity and old age. Treatment resistant depression is best handled with a combination ...
One recent study estimated that more than 20% of older patients in the USA took at least one medication which could negatively impact another condition. [7] This is referred to as therapeutic competition. Effective chronic care requires an information platform to track patients' status and ensure appropriate treatments are given. [8]
One of the major causes of elderly falls is hyponatremia, an electrolyte disturbance in which the level of sodium in a person's serum drops below 135 mEq/L. Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disorder encountered in the elderly patient population. Studies have shown that older patients are more prone to hyponatremia as a result of ...
Inclusion of a behavioral health professional in the treatment of depression in primary care improves outcomes, patient and physician satisfaction, and costs less than usual care. [26] The PCBH model prioritizes the usage of treatment algorithms based on scientific guidelines that include pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions. [27]
Some depression rating scales are completed by patients. The Beck Depression Inventory, for example, is a 21-question self-report inventory that covers symptoms such as irritability, fatigue, weight loss, lack of interest in sex, and feelings of guilt, hopelessness or fear of being punished. [11]
Geriatric depression is the prolonged occurrence of depression in elderly-aged people. A meta-analysis done by the University of Liverpool found a 3.86% prevalence rate of depressed elderly in The People's Republic of China , [ 1 ] compared to a 12% prevalence in Western Europe . [ 2 ]