Abstract
Czech Republic ranks among the countries with the highest morbidity and mortality with stroke in Europe. Depression subsequently occurs in about one third of the individuals affected with stroke, and deteriorates recovery, quality of life, general morbidity and mortality of the patients.
Depression following stroke is clasified as an organic mood disorder, or poststroke depression in international literature. Its etiopathogenesis is multi-factorial, similarly unclear as in the case of non- organic depression.
According to the current knowledge, the location of ictus is not typically associated with prospective symptoms of depression. Signs of depression in geriatric patiens usually coincide with the symptoms of stroke themselves, so the diagnostics of poststroke depression may become questionable.
This leads to insufficient detection and treatment of poststroke depression in clinical practice. Treatment with antidepressants, especially SSRIs, has been repeatedly proved as efficient in reduction of depressive symptoms even if the improvement may be rather partial.
Preventative medication with antidepressants in stroke patients has resulted in contradictory findings, and is not generally recommended. More attention should be paid to poststroke depression owing to its high prevalence and negative consequences for the patients.
Further research into diagnostics and treatment of poststroke depression is warranted. The aim of the paper is to review the current knowledge on poststroke depression, and thus stimulate an active attitude towards solution of described problems.