Overprescribing can take a toll on older peoples’ health and independence – here’s what can be done

Polypharmacy is more common in people over the age of 65. AleTanevitch/ Shutterstock

Around 8 million people in the UK take five or more medications each day (known as polypharmacy), with a further 2 million people taking ten or more prescription drugs daily. The majority of people who take multiple medications each day are aged over 65.

Taking multiple prescription drugs is not necessarily a problem. But it can become problematic when a medicine is overprescribed. This means someone is taking a drug that’s no longer appropriate for a their circumstances, does not deliver the intended benefit, conflicts with their wishes or when a better non-medicine option is available.