Chronic Insomnia in the Elderly: Current Approaches to Diagnosis and Treatment

The article shows that in the treatment of chronic insomnia in geriatric patients, it is recommended to use a step-by-step treatment and start with steps aimed at the elimination of somatic, environmental and psychological barriers which affect the quality of sleep. An algorithm for the evaluation of sleep disorders at a later age firstly desctibed. The specifics of the clinical and psychological evaluation of the quality of sleep in geriatric patients presented. Evidence on the effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches for the treatment of chronic insomnia at a later age presented on the basis of a number of foreign studies. It is recommended to use multicomponent cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy as a first-line treatment of chronic insomnia at a later age Types, forms and structural components of cognitive-behavioral therapy of chronic insomnia in the elderly are detailed. Practical difficulties and reccomentations for the use of medical approach in the treatment of sleep disorders in the elderly are also presented.