Pharmacological Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder in the Elderly

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a very common disorder in the geriatric population with prevalence rates reaching 7% and even higher rates of 8% among elderly veterans. However, despite such high prevalence treating clinicians are presently forced to address treatment issues in this population without the guidance of scientific data. This proposal aims to begin to address this void. In light of emerging information regarding efficacy of the newer anti anxiety agents, specifically the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), in the treatment of young adult GAD patients it is time to prospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of these medications in the treatment of elderly GAD patients. Therefore, this study will examine the effects and safety of the SSRI sertraline at different doses (50mg and 100mg per day) for older patients with GAD.