Practice pharmacists and the opportunity to support general practitioners in deprescribing in the older person

Problems associated with the use of medicines in society continue to be a significant public health burden, with the brunt being borne by older people.1–3 The higher risk of medicine-related adverse events and hospitalisations in older adults is caused primarily by age-related pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes, and a higher number of chronic conditions and resultant polypharmacy, which is often associated with the use of potentially inappropriate medicines.3–5 Adverse drug events (ADEs) frequently involve predictable high-risk situations, such as multiple drug use in the elderly, which are amenable to prevention through better systems and ways of working by health professionals.