New research has found that around 70% of long-term care patients are taking one or more potentially inappropriate medicines.

New research has found that around 70% of long-term care patients are taking one or more potentially inappropriate medicines.

It says this has serious implications for older people since adverse drug reactions can occur, leading to falls and fractures, and patients may require extended hospitalisation.

The main drug involved in inappropriate prescribing was the sedative benzodiazepine.

The research involved examining a sample of 630 patients in Northern Ireland and in the Cork area and was funded by the Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland.