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The British Journal of Psychiatry 175: 439-443 (1999)
© 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Natural history of pharmacotherapy of older depressed community residents. The MRC-ALPHA Study

KC Wilson, JR Copeland, S Taylor, J Donoghue and CF McCracken
Academic Unit, St Catherine's Hospital, Birkenhead.

BACKGROUND: Depression in older people is common and has a high mortality, but effective treatments exist. AIMS: To describe drug prescribing in older community residents in relation to depression status. METHOD: The MRC-ALPHA community cohort aged 65 and over were interviewed using the Geriatric Mental State examination drug data collected at index interview and at two and four years. RESULTS: Antidepressants were used by 10.9% of the depressed population. Benzodiazepines were used frequently. Of the antidepressant users, 59.6% took low-dose antidepressants for two years, had a poor outcome and few drug changes. CONCLUSIONS: Trends of increasing antidepressant use have cost implications for primary care groups. Benzodiazepines may be mis-prescribed for treatment of depressive symptoms. Antidepressant users have poor outcome and follow-up.


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Copyright © 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists.