New research has shown that the number of items dispensed with pharmaceutical labels as prescriptions has increased in the last ten years.

According to the NHS Information Centre, 927 million prescriptions were collected in 2010, up nearly 70 per cent on the same figures from 2000.

The average person collected 17.8 items each last year, paying £7.40 per prescribed medicine.

It was found that drugs for high blood pressure and heart failure were most common, while medications for diabetes and the central nervous system were the most expensive for the NHS to give out.

Tim Straughan, chief executive of the NHS Information Centre, said: "Today's report is important in giving people and the NHS the information needed to help understand prescribing today and patterns over time."

Pharmacist Roger Prock recently urged people to copy down their prescriptions from the printed labels on their medicine in case their records are ever lost and they need a repeat, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Denny Bros Ltd, 28 July 2011