Huuhka Kaija, Leinonen Esa
TAYS:n toimialue 5, neuro- ja vanhuspsykiatria Pitkäniemen sairaala, 33380 Pitkäniemi.
Duodecim. 2011;127(4):390-6.
Severe depression affects 1 to 4% of the elderly population with symptoms that may differ from those of younger people. Among the elderly, even a severe depressive state has been underdiagnosed and may thus remain untreated. The most severe complication of severe and psychotic depression is suicide, as committed by 162 persons over 65 years of age in Finland in 2008. The treatment of most severe geriatric depressions is often initiated in a psychiatric hospital. Antidepressive drugs may exhibit differences in efficacy within this patient group. Patients should be referred to electroshock therapy at an earlier stage than is currently done.
重度抑郁症影响着1%至4%的老年人群，其症状可能与年轻人不同。在老年人中，即使是严重的抑郁状态也一直未得到充分诊断，因此可能仍未得到治疗。重度和精神病性抑郁症最严重的并发症是自杀，2008年芬兰有162名65岁以上的人自杀。大多数严重老年抑郁症的治疗通常在精神病医院开始。抗抑郁药物在该患者群体中的疗效可能存在差异。患者应比目前更早地接受电击治疗。
