Medications Used to Treat Depression in the Elderly
Classification	Medication	Dosage	Side effects
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)	Nortriptyline (Elavil) Desipramine	10-150 mg/day 10-250 mg/day	Anticholinergic Orthostatic hypotension Cardiac arrythmias
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)	Tranylcypromine	10-40 mg/day	Orthostatic hypotension Pedal edema Weakly anticholinergic Dietary restrictions
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)	Fluoxetine (Prozac) Sertraline (Zoloft) Paroxetine (Paxil) Fluvoxamine (Luvox) Citalopram (Celexa)	10-60 mg/day 25-200 mg/day 10-40 mg/day 25-300 mg/day 10-40 mg/day	GI complaints Anxiety Sedation Agitation Akathisia Headache Sexual dysfunction
Dual Action Agents	Mirtazapine (Remeron)	7.5-45 mg/day	Sedation Weight gain
	Venlafaxine (Effexor)	25-300 mg/day	Hypertension Confusion Lightheadedness
	Buproprion (Wellbutrin)	75-450 mg/day	Seizures Headache Nausea
	Duloxetine (Cymbalta)	30-60mg/day	Nausea
Other Antidepressants	Trazodone	12.5-400 mg/day	Sedation Orthostasis Incontinence Urinary retention Priapism
Other Antidepressants	Nefazodone (Serzone)	50-600 mg/day	Pedal edema Elevation of liver enzymes