We live in an ageing society. Since the early 1930s, the number of people aged over 65 has more than doubled and today, a fifth of the population is over 60 (Fig. 1). This has implications for prescribing in primary care. Prescription drug usage increases with age. One in three NHS prescriptions is issued to a patient over the age of 65 years, and 90% of these prescriptions are for repeat medications. Furthermore, adverse drug events are common reasons for hospital admission in the over-75 age group, accounting for 5–17% of admissions. Many are avoidable. This article aims to outline the principles of prescribing for older people in primary care.
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