MODERN APPROACHES TO TREATMENT OF ANXIETY DISORDERS IN ELDERLY PATIENTS

Abstract

Anxiety disorders, along with asthenic, depressive and hypochondriac ones are often observed in elderly patients in general practice. It is believed that about a third of neurological patients suffer from anxiety. Anxiety disorder is revealed in more than 65% of patients with chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency. In these patients a predominance of somatic symptoms over the mental ones is observed, which may lead to difficulties of differential diagnosis of anxiety and somatic pathology. Anxiety leads to a further reduction of patient’s quality of life, disruption of social activity. In this category of patients the risk of development of some somatic diseases, complicated course and worse prognosis of the existing disease are developed. Depression and anxiety are very often comorbid conditions. Buspirone is one of the drugs of choice for treatment of anxiety disorders in the elderly and patients with concomitant somatic pathology.

Keywords

• generalized anxiety disorder
• depression
• agonists 5-ht1a-serotonin receptors
• buspirone