Introduction
Neuropsychiatric disorders affect millions of older adults. Despite this, there are relatively few older adults included in clinical trials evaluating treatments for psychiatric disorders. Citalopram has been evaluated in older adults with neuropsychiatric disorders and has largely been found beneficial, making the 2011 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety advisory on citalopram extremely impactful.
Methods
A literature search was completed using the PubMed database. Results were limited to clinical trials conducted in older adults that were published in English.
Results
Review of the literature confirms the efficacy of citalopram in depression, anxiety, depression associated with Parkinson disease, and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Additionally, no adverse cardiac outcomes have been described related to citalopram.
Discussion
The FDA's evidence for applying this safety advisory to citalopram is minimal and largely based on surrogate markers, such as the QTc interval rather than clinical and safety outcomes. Citalopram is known to increase the QTc, but this increase has not been linked to adverse cardiac outcomes. The evidence for efficacy and against adverse outcomes suggests that a reevaluation of the dosing restrictions in older adults with neuropsychiatric disorders is needed.
With the recent updates to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition; DSM-5), there are many questions on how to care for older adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and other psychiatric conditions. The current article reviews the new changes to the DSM-5 for diagnosis of GAD, discusses new anxiety assessment scales that are validated in older adults, evaluates pharmacological agents that have been studied in older adults for GAD treatment, and provides monitoring recommendations to help those who provide care to older adults experiencing GAD.
OBJECTIVE: To review the treatment options for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the long-term care facility setting.<br/> DATA SOURCES: A PubMed search from January 1, 1990, through December 31, 2018, using terms "extended
spectrum beta lactamase" and "urinary tract infection" was performed. Current guidelines, drug databases, and manufacturer package inserts were also used.<br/> STUDY SELECTION: All English-language articles during the above time frame appearing in these searches were reviewed
for relevance to this paper. In addition, their bibliographies were reviewed to identify any articles not originally identified.<br/> DATA SYNTHESIS: ESBL UTIs are a growing concern in the long-term care facility as these pathogens are becoming more prevalent. Patients residing
in long-term care facilities have fewer treatment modalities because of medication administration and care issues. This review highlights the data on different antibiotics and their efficacy toward ESBLs in the setting of UTI.<br/> CONCLUSIONS: Despite the challenges and limitations,
there are still options for clinicians to provide optimal care, including antibiotics with different routes of administration, as well as different administration techniques. Clinicians can be successful with treating ESBL UTIs in older adults.
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