title: Natural history of pharmacotherapy of older depressed community residents. The MRC-ALPHA Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression in older people is common and has a high mortality, but effective treatments exist.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe drug prescribing in older community residents in relation to depression status.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit, St Catherine's Hospital, Birkenhead.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Copeland
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Donoghue
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: McCracken
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives