Kathleen Jaques Bennett, BSc, MSc

Drug-induced depression is a type of depression that is caused by a drug or combination of drugs. It can be difficult to diagnose and manage, especially in the elderly. A depression must first be diagnosed and a temporal relationship with a drug or drugs must be identified in order to make an accurate diagnosis of drug-induced depression. While there are a number of treatment options, the management of drug-induced depression is complicated if the drug is an indispensable medication. The management of this type of depression is further complicated if there is no substitute for the offending medication. Elderly people consume large numbers of prescription and non-prescription drugs. This group of people is often taking several drugs concurrently and has less tolerance for medications.¹ The elderly are particularly susceptible to drug interactions and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) which can lead to drug-induced depression.¹ This group also presents more difficulty in terms of managing the condition.