Trends in antidepressant prescriptions among the elderly in Alberta during 1997 to 2004.

OBJECTIVE To analyze trends in antidepressant (AD) prescription rates among the elderly (aged 65 years and older) in Alberta during 1997 to 2004. METHOD Numerical data on AD prescriptions were obtained from Alberta Blue Cross. Age-standardized prescription rates were calculated according to type of AD. RESULTS The prescription rate for all ADs combined increased by 59% for men and 55% for women. This change was due entirely to serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other recently-introduced ADs, that by 2004 accounted for 72% of AD prescriptions for men and 69% for women. For each year and type of AD, the prescription rate for women was almost double that for men. CONCLUSIONS In the elderly in Alberta, prescription rates for ADs increased markedly during 1997 to 2004, especially for SSRIs and other recently introduced ADs.