Almost half of the English population is taking prescription medication: 50% of women and 43% of men in England are now regularly taking prescription drugs (one in the last week), with more than a fifth taking at least three separate drugs at the same time. Neither contraceptives nor smoking cessation drugs were included. Prescription drug use rise with age, with 70% of those aged 75 or over taking at least three prescribed medicine.
According to the survey , commonly prescribed medications included:
- cholesterol-lowering statins
- medications used to treat high blood pressure
- painkillers, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- antidepressants: nearly one in five women on a low income areas are taking them.
Sources and more information
- Use of prescribed medicines, hscic.gov, December 2014.
- Half of women are taking drugs on prescription… and four in ten men are doing the same, DailyMail, 10 December 2014.
- Nearly 50% take prescription drugs, bbc news health, 10 December 2014.
- Spare us the moralising on prescription drugs. Many of us need them, the guardian, 11 December 2014.