Chronic Pain in Elderly Patients

In the November 2007 issue of the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, an article presents the result of a study examining chronic pain in depressed geriatric inpatients.  By examining the medical charts of patients who were admitted to a geriatric psychiatric unit over a two year period, 148 patients with a depressive disorder were identified. Of these depressed patients, 62% of patients were found to reports problems with chronic pain. Further analysis found that depressed older adults with chronic pain were more likely to report suicidal ideation, be diagnosed with personality disorder, have chronic care needs, and experience less total sleep time compared to depressed older adults without chronic pain. The results match those of previous studies identifying chronic pain as a possible suicide risk factor in the elderly, particularly when depression is involved.  : Chronic pain-common in depressed older adults-may influence clinical features of depression and should be assessed as a possible suicide risk factor. Prospective studies should examine causal relationships and determine the effects of adequate pain treatment on depression course and suicide risk in older adults.

Click here for the abstract   

Click for more information on geriatric suicide

Comments

[Bobblehead]

It is interesting that the post right after this one deals with LSD. I have always viewed "drug use" as a coping mechanism to escape pain, depression, reality, etc. I have no doubt that many "illegal" drugs are terribly harmful to society as a whole but often in the Western Cultures, even legitimate use of drugs for chronic pain is often taboo.
True most drugs that inhibit pain often go through an increased tolerance in the body and therefore an ever increased dosage is needed. Chronic pain treatment by "doping out" the patient is probably not the right course to take.
Yet we as a whole tell people, especially the elderly and chronically ill, to suck it up. It is easy for me to dictate how much pain a patient should take, especially when there is no expectation of actually relieving the underlying cause of the pain. That increased suicide and chronic pain are linked can be explained with one word: Duh!
Good post. I will keep reading.
Bobblehead