Although not recommended as a first-line treatment for old patients with depressive, anxiety or somatic symptom disorders, we continue seeing tricyclic antidepressants being frequently prescribed.

To estimate the prevalence and to assess the implementation of safety measures related to the prescription of such molecules in the elderly. To explain their choice as a first-line treatment.

We included all new patients aged 65 years or over between 1st January 2011 and 31st December 2015 whom, were prescribed an antidepressant. Recommendations of the Canadian coalition for seniors’ mental health, of the world federation of societies of biological psychiatry and of the national institute for health and care excellence were our evaluation tools. We compared tricyclic receivers to those having newer antidepressants to try to understand the choice of tricyclics as a first-line treatment.

Eighty patients were included. Mean age was of 75 years. 46% were prescribed a tricyclic as a first line treatment. Depressive disorders were the most diagnosed ones (79%) followed by anxiety disorders (14%) and somatic symptom disorders (7%). An electrocardiogram was not performed to all patients prior to the initiation of the tricyclic nor at anytime later. 11% continued being prescribed tricyclics in spite of contraindications. Only a low economic level was significantly related to their choice as a first-line treatment (P = 0.001).

Tricyclics’ prescribing rate was high. Safety measures were not applied for all patients. Regular availability of newer antidepressants in public health structures and a better awareness of antidepressants prescribing guidelines in the elderly are mandatory.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.