It's 10 Most Prescribed Drugs

Trends in the use of generic drugs in the United States was continuing. A recent report released by IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics on the use of drugs in the U.S. during the period of 2010 showed, the majority of drugs prescribed in the land of Uncle Sam is a drug from generic types.

Continuing the trend in recent years, IMS found that 78% of the approximately 4 billion prescriptions written by doctors in the U.S. throughout 2010 is the generic drugs (both branded and sold are not using the brand). This figure is up 4% compared to the year 2009, and make the market share of generic drugs continue to have increased over the last five years.

Here are 10 of the most widely prescribed drugs (sorted by highest rating):

1. Hydrocodone (combination with acetaminophen) - 131.2 million prescription

2. Brand generic cholesterol-lowering drugs Zocor (simvastatin), - 94.1 million prescriptions

3. Lisinopril (including those sold under the brand names Prinivil and Zestril), blood pressure-lowering drugs - 87.4 million prescriptions

4. Generic brand of synthetic thyroid hormone Synthroid (levothyroxine sodium), - 70.5 million prescriptions

5. Blood pressure lowering drugs / angina generic brand Norvasc (amlodipine besylate), - 57.2 million prescriptions

6. Generic brand of antacid drug Prilosec (omeprazole), - 53.4 million prescriptions (not including sales as a free / otc) 7. Azithromycin antibiotic drugs (including those sold under the brand name and Zithromax Z-Pak), - 52.6 million prescriptions

8. Antibiotics Amoxicillin (with various brands), - 52.3 million prescriptions

9. Generic diabetes drug Glucophage (metformin), - 48.3 million prescriptions

10. Tension-lowering drug hydrochlorothiazide (with various brands), - 47.8 million prescriptions.
 
10 Drugs with the highest sales value

It is not surprising that generic drugs are not the highest revenue source for producers of drugs. The proof, though the most widely prescribed generic drugs, but drugs are already off patent period is not recorded the highest sales value.

The drugs most cost for the patient is drug-patent drugs that are still relatively new and still get protection from generic competition.

IMS reported that Americans spend at least 307 billion U.S. dollars to pay for prescription drugs in 2010. This figure rose 2.3 percent from the previous year which reached 300 billion U.S. dollars.

Here are 10 names of the most drug drain the pockets of patients in the U.S.:

1. Lipitor, a cholesterol-lowering drugs - $ 7.2 billion
2. Nexium, antacid drugs - $ 6.3 billion
3. Plavix, the blood-thinning medications - $ 6.1 billion
4. Advair Diskus, an inhaler for asthma - $ 4.7 billion
5. Abilify, an antipsychotic drug - $ 4.6 billion
6. Seroquel, an antipsychotic drug - $ 4.4 billion
7. Singulair, an oral medication for asthma - $ 4.1 billion
8. Crestor, a cholesterol-lowering drugs - $ 3.8 billion
9. Actos, diabetes drugs - $ 3.5 billion
10. Epogen, anemia drugs are injected - $ 3.3 billion