Rates of polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) are lower in the UK than in many European countries, a new analysis reveals.

Researchers analysed primary care prescribing based on 2018 data from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and 590,310 people in the UK. The age and sex distribution of the patients was similar across all the countries. 

Of the UK patients, 89.8 per cent received at least one medicine, with 22.8 per cent of patients receiving five or more drugs and 11.3 per cent receiving at least 10 medicines. 

Polypharmacy rates in the UK were the lowest of the six countries, which ranged from 38.2 per cent in Belgium to 58.3 per cent in Germany. The proportion of patients taking at least 10 drugs was also lowest here (15.6 per cent in Belgium to 28.5 per cent in Germany). 

Rates of PIP in the UK were: 19.2 per cent for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), 10.0 per cent for opioids; 1.9 per cent for antipsychotics and 1.3 per cent for benzodiazepines.

PIP rates were highest in Spain: 44.4 per cent for PPIs; 25.0 per cent for benzodiazepines; 17.1 per cent for opioids; and 6.3 per cent for antipsychotics.