r citizens take prescriptions regularly for various ailments. Due to the fact that many senior citizens take multiple prescriptions daily, the physician must also be familiar with how thevarious drugs interact with prescriptions the patient is currently taking (April 1997). The most commonly used and most successful antidepressants are tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's'). Tricyclic antidepressants include nortriptyline and desipramine and are frequently used for depressed patients with insomnia. Their side effects include hypotension and constipation, which may be too much for the patient to bear. SSRI's include fluoxetine (Prozac) and paroxetine (Paxil) and are generally classified as safer, with fewer side effects. The known side effects are insomnia, nausea, and mild headache, which may be more bearable to the individual (April 1996). MAO inhibitors are another type of antidepressant, but not prescribed as frequently due to the alterations a patient must make this or her diet (August 1995). Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the treatment for depression used when results are needed immediately and is nearly 80% effective. Only 25% of depressed patients receive this treatment, but it has proved effective when it has been utilized. ECT sends electric pulses (shock waves) into the brain, which enhance the patient's mood as an antidepressant would. Patients with suicidal tendencies or severe weight problems would be justifiable in using ECT. ECT is a great solution to short term depression because the patient feels better quickly and avoids having to take expensive drugs for an extended period of time. Recent technological advancements allow for treatment of just one side of the brain if so desired whereas in the past it was the entire brain or not at all (April 1997). Most experts will agree that the most effective way to treat depression is a combination of any or all methods. Each treatment ...
