Diagnosing anxiety in the elderly
When a person has symptoms of depression or anxiety over the age of 60, is usually diagnosed as depression first, until proven otherwise.
Many older patients with depression have symptoms of anxiety, so many experts recommend testing for anhedonia and depressed or sad mood for the diagnosis of depression. They emphasize that particularly in the elderly people should be questioned about feelings of sadness, low spirits or a feeling of emptiness, since many do not use the word depression to catalog their symptoms.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis is made from the thorough questioning both to patients and their families and caregivers. The objective with it isknow if you always had many concerns and if they interfere with your activities and your life. It is also important to know if you tend to worry excessively about something bad happening to you. During this questioning, the most important thing is to know if the symptoms affect the quality of life of the patient and your day to day. It should also be evaluated:
- Detailed physical exam
- Electrocardiogram
- blood test with hemogram (fasting blood glucose, blood calcium level, measurement of plasma concentration of vitamin B12, folic acid and thyroid hormone).
In addition to the presence of depression, you should investigate other symptoms such as panic and phobias, monitor the drugs you take, if you consume other substances that may cause these symptoms and excessive alcohol and caffeine intake.
Some symptoms
Excessive worry usually appears in patients with depression and anxiety disorders. Therefore, eThe symptom must be characterized in detail. Anxiety can occur due to preoccupation with everyday events and activities or focus on more specific issues. In this case we would be talking about anxiety disorders such as phobias or panic.
Specialist in Family Medicine and Geriatrics(Updated at Apr 15 / 2024)