Anxiety disorders. How to recognize and treat the medical symptoms of emotional illness.

Anxiety symptoms in older patients frequently coexist with depression, medical illness, and dementia, which complicate diagnosis and treatment. Most anxiety disorders do not begin in later life but are a recurrence or worsening of a pre-existing condition. Anxiety should be considered in any older patient with depressive symptoms or somatic complaints that are not explained by physical examination. Older patients may benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy and relaxation training. Antidepresants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are the preferred medical treatment.