Elderly Regularly Prescribed Medicines with Unclear Benefits

According to new research, preventative medications “with unclear evidence of benefit” are frequently administered to 95-year-olds in the UK.

27 men and 63 women who were 95 years old had their medical histories examined by academics. Findings did not take into account over-the-counter medicines or selected prescribed drugs including vaccinations, wound care, and stoma therapies.

Results concluded that study applicants were given an average of 7.4 prescribed medications.

The five most popular medications were:
non-opioid analgesics (51%)
statins (37%)
proton pump inhibitors (32%)
osmotic laxatives (31%)
vitamin D with calcium (26%)

Frequently received preventative medications “with unclear evidence of benefit” were:
statins, aspirin (21%)
bisphosphonates (19 per cent)

It was stated that “regular medication reviews may be important to ensure appropriate and safe prescribing” in elderly individuals.

The research was conducted more than 5 years ago therefore is likely to be somewhat unreliable. The study leads said that “as populations continue to age, clear practical guidelines are needed on prescribing preventative medications in the very old.”

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