Prescription Drug Use on the Rise, CDC Reports

A new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals a greater need for pharmacists to manage Americans’ growing prescription drug load.

More than 48% of Americans took at least 1 prescription drug each month in 2008—a 10% increase over the past 10 years, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“As new drugs are introduced and new uses for old drugs are found, more patients can have improved health and quality of life with the appropriate use of prescription drugs,” researchers said in the study. Medications to treat asthma, attention deficit disorder, depression, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol were among the most commonly used drugs.

Investigating the use of multiple prescription drugs, the report revealed key findings for pharmacists. The use of more than 1 prescription drug rose by 20%, and the use of more than 5 prescription drugs rose by a staggering 70%, compared with the previous decade. From 2007 to 2008, 50% of all Americans used at least 1 or more prescription drugs, and 1 of every 10 Americans used 5 or more.

1 comment (Add your own)

1. Nadir Jillani wrote:: its a very considerable survays conducted by CDC as a pharmacist, i also discourage multiple therapies.....actually community people also misunderstanding it...........many people taking drugs only for symptoms....the symptoms can be manage...d phsically..........drugs are for diseases........for example, a diabetic patient taking anti diabetic drugs.....its ok..........but at a instant if he feel high blood pressure then he/she should manage the high blood pressure first by managing it physically and taking advise from pharmacist.........if the condition is serious then he/she can take drug for hypertension........another example is........a flu patient.......he/she taking antibiotic, anti-allergic, anti-pyretic and multi vitamin drugs for sore throat, cold and fever, headache etc.............so there is no need to give her/him such range of medication...........only anti-inflammatory drug and anti-pyretic drug is sufficient to cure the infection.............
AVOID MULTIPLE DRUGS THERAPY, TAKE ADVICE FROM YOUR COMMUNITY PHARMACIST
Thu, September 9, 2010 @ 3:41 PM

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