Psychosis in late life. Spotting new-onset disorders in your elderly patients.

Psychotic disorders usually develop by middle age, but initial onset can be later in life. Delusions, hallucinations, and other psychotic symptoms may accompany medical conditions, mood disorders, and Alzheimer's disease, thereby confusing the diagnosis. In this review, Dr Harris describes some of the more common psychotic disorders in elderly patients and briefly discusses the newest options in drug therapy.