Tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants also have limited usefulness in the elderly because their side effects may be severe in older adults. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. These are currently the most popular drugs because they have a low incidence of side effects. However, the elderly are at greater than average risk for side effects. If you opt for an antidepressant, check in regularly with your physician about your condition and any side effects you experience.
People tend to react individually to antidepressants.
If one causes unpleasant side effects, another may not. Many doctors are reluctant to do this without a definitive diagnosis because many antidepressants cause side effects. But a definitive diagnosis may prove elusive, and failure to treat true depression also has potentially serious consequences. Many studies have shown that compared with mentally healthy elderly, those who are depressed are less likely to survive heart attack, cancer, and stroke. If they survive, depression interferes with their recovery from these and other conditions, notably hip fracture.