Topics: anticonvulsants | antihistamines | Antipsychotics | Anxiety | Benzodiazepines | Buspirone | Deprescribing | EMPOWER trial | gabapentin | Mirtazapine | SNRIs | SSRIs | taper | Trazodone | Z-drugs

When should we consider deprescribing anti-anxiety medications in older adults? And how do we get our patients on board with our plan? Here we discuss the risks of commonly used anti-anxiety agents and provide slow taper schedules.

Topics: Addiction | Anxiety | Ashton manual | Beers criteria | Benzodiazepines | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia | Dementia | Fall risk | Hypnotics | Insomnia | Opioids | Overdose | Silexan | taper | Withdrawal

The best evidence for benzodiazepines in the elderly is in panic disorder, followed by phobias, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Benzodiazepines are also the mainstay of treating catatonia, rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, and alcohol withdrawal

Topics: clonidine | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy | cognitive processing therapy | Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing | PCL-5 | Prazosin | Prolonged exposure | PTSD | screening | Trauma | Trauma-focused psychotherapy

PTSD may be missed in older adults leading to worse health outcomes. Here we discuss screening tools for PTSD and how to think through the best treatment options.

Topics: Anxiety | Deep brain stimulation (DBS) | Dementia | Depression | ECT | Electroconvulsive therapy | magnetic seizure therapy (MST) | mild cognitive impairment | Neuromodulation | Obsessive compulsive disorder/OCD | Personality Disorders | SAINT protocol | Theta burst stimulation | TMS | Transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) | Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation | Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS)

Dr. Lisanby introduces us to novel neuromodulation techniques including magnetic seizure therapy, theta burst stimulation, and the SAINT protocol. Plus, she reviews how current and novel neuromodulation treatments can lower the risk of cognitive side effects in older adults.

Is mirtazapine effective in treating agitation in dementia? This study decreases our confidence in this medication, at least in the high doses used.

Topics: CME Post-Test

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