Older patients on medley of drugs ‘at higher risk of adverse reactions’

Prescriptions for multiple medicines should be regularly reviewed to check they are necessary, scientists say. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock

Older women are at higher risk than older men of experiencing adverse reactions to drugs prescribed by their family doctor, and older patients taking more than 10 medicines are at higher risk than those taking fewer, according to a study.

Overall, one in four older people experience adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to pills prescribed by their GP, the research published in the British Journal of General Practice suggests.