Update 2000. Guidelines for prescribing psychoactive drugs.

As patients age, a pattern develops in the primary care setting of underdiagnosis and undertreatment of psychiatric disorders, including dementing illnesses and depression. Choosing an appropriate psychoactive drug and dosage for an older patient is a complex task, due to the wide array of medications available and the need for careful titration. To address these problems, this article provides prescribing recommendations for antidepressants, antipsychotic medications, benzodiazepines (antianxiety/hypnotics), and other psychoactive medications.