ELDERLY patients discharged from hospitals suffer severe to fatal side-effects as a result of drugs prescribed to them.

A new study, led by experts from Brighton and Sussex Medical School, found that 37 per cent of patients suffer “medication-related harm”.

The side effects include dizziness, kidney and heart problems.

Researchers also found that in some cases, patients have died from the prescribed medication. They say that at least ten per cent of the cases are preventable.

The authors said patients are “particularly vulnerable” to problems with their medications in the period after they have been sent home from hospital.

They set out to find out the level of harm and what it costs the NHS each year in the study.

The team examined data on 1,280 patients over the age of 65 who had been discharged from three hospitals in the South of England.

The patients, aged 82 on average, were tracked for eight weeks after discharge.

Among the patients who experienced some level of harm, 81 per cent (336) were classed as “serious”, with four dying.

Half the cases were deemed to be potentially preventable by the experts, with 11 per cent thought to be “definitely” avoidable.

Medicines found to be linked with the highest levels of harm were opiates, antibiotics, and benzodiazepines.

Professor Chakravarthi Rajkumar, chairman of geriatrics and stroke medicine at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, said: “Medication- related harm can be life-threatening and similarly decisions to prescribe high-risk medicines should be taken after a comprehensive discussion with the patient.

“While the cost implications are significant, the magnitude extends beyond finances to adversely affect the quality of life for patients and families.

“In addition to distress and potential dangers to patients, this harm costs the NHS in England an estimated £396 million annually.”

David Liley, chief officer for Healthwatch Brighton and Hove, said: “This research provides a profound challenge to the NHS locally.

Specialist doctors in our hospitals and GPs in our community must be responsible for ensuring that people are not given an unpredictable cocktail or medication, particularly older and vulnerable people.

“GP practices in the city are under pressure, often people will be seeing the first doctor who is available rather than their regular GP.

“People need to be confident that family doctors have enough time to look carefully at their medication and ensure it is safe.

“Just this month Healthwatch learnt that the Red Cross ‘take home and settle’ service from the Royal Sussex County Hospital, for Brighton and Hove residents, was to lose its NHS funding.

“This volunteer-led service takes older and vulnerable people home from hospital.

“If we do not make sure older, and vulnerable, people are safely taken home from hospital and settled with all their essentials including medication it is perhaps not surprising that some people get mixed up and take the wrong medication at the wrong time.