[Anxiety in elderly people -- epidemiology, diagnostic features and therapeutic options]

Anxiety disorders in older age represent with a prevalence rate of 10 % an important psychiatric problem, which has not been adequately recognised and diagnosed. This can be explained from the idea, that pathologic anxiety was evaluated as a normal reaction by elderly people. The actual classification of anxiety disorders with ICD-10 or DSM-IV was not sufficient and should be complemented by a syndromanal approach. The comorbidity of anxiety disorders with other psychiatric disorders, e. g. depression, and also with somatic diseases was high. The psychosocial consequences are important. Psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions have been proven in some studies and should be practised more in the future.