The usage of antidepressants in elderly has become very popular nowadays, especially when researchers and gerontologists have found adverse antidepressant side effects in these patients when not used properly. The reason I am writing this article today is to explain the truth about antidepressant side effects and the use of antidepressants in elderly, as a way for you to prevent undesired consequences now or in the future.

Fundamentally, the antidepressant side effects have always been known to be negative when patients overdose, however, that is not the unique reason why they are present. It is not a secret for anyone the fact that using antidepressants in elderly requires some precautions, since these patients are more vulnerable to chronic diseases and negative antidepressant side effects. The truth is that some people even disagree with the use of antidepressants in elderly people because they can be even fatal in some chronic cases, but we are going to analyze this now.

Some of the diverse antidepressant side effects that people experience are dry mouth, urinary retention, distorted vision and constipation, but when it comes to antidepressants for elderly we definitely have to pay closer attention as it might even kill these patients. Clinical studies in primary care constantly show that patients are more likely to be prescribed a recommended therapeutic dose of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI’s) than of a tricyclic antidepressant for elderly, and this difference remains when allowance is made for the fact that elderly people often respond to doses of tricyclic antidepressants below those recommended in younger adults.

Experts say that when tricyclic drugs are used as antidepressants for elderly they have toxicity, which is why this study implies how negative the tricyclic antidepressant side-effects can be for elderly people. Considering antidepressants for elderly people, these patients are particularly flat to develop concurrent illness, drug interactions, and the changes of normal ageing, and in comparison with newer agents the tricyclic antidepressants for elderly have more potential to cause serious antidepressant side-effects due to their non-selective action such as postural hypotension, leading to falls and fractures, urinary retention, impaired cognitive functioning, delirium and finally, the membrane stabilizing effect can cause cardiac arrhythmias too.

A record association study demonstrated a considerably increased risk of admission with acute urinary retention as one of the most noticeable antidepressant side effects between patients who were prescribed tricyclic antidepressants in comparison to those who were prescribed SSRI’s, and so this is another important aspect to consider before doctors prescribe antidepressants for elderly, due to the antidepressant side effects involved. In other words, there is a higher number of contraindications and cautions against the use of tricyclic antidepressants for elderly than for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, due to the antidepressant side effects shown.

Certainly, there is a lot of controversy among the use of certain types of antidepressants for elderly and so the doctor has to consider the above studies as well as all of his experience with antidepressant side effects previously experienced by patients in order to prevent any health risk for his patients.