The Most Prescribed Prescription Medications by Drug Class
FEATURE
Howard F. Loomis
Jr., DC
Last month, I concluded a series of articles itemizing the 10 leading causes of death in the United States. I took the position that while practicing chiropractors may treat patients who have chronic degenerative diseases, they are not responsible for diagnosis or treatment of those conditions. Nevertheless, their patients may not have been diagnosed with such conditions yet. That makes it possible for chiropractors to recognize the early warning signs of the body’s inability to maintain normal visceral function in an organ or organs that will eventually result in the diagnosis of a disease.
I suggested that you could easily include procedures in your routine such as taking a patient’s blood pressure and being aware of medications a patient uses, especially when those prescriptions change and why. With that in mind, I have decided to write about the 11 most prescribed medications during 2017 and their side effects. Rather than list them by name, I will list them by class of drug, i.e., why they are prescribed.
I need to mention one important point before I start. Most drugs block a human enzyme system or fill a receptor site nonnally filled by the product of an enzyme-driven process.
Lists of best-selling prescription drugs vary based on whether generic drugs were included with brand names. They also vary based on number of monthly prescriptions and refills or the amount of sales. Therefore, I have taken some liberty in the arrangement.
All classes of drugs have seen an increase in prescriptions filled over the past five years except for diuretics, penicillin, and hormonal contraceptives, according to the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics.
NARCOTIC ANALGESICS - pain management
Narcotic analgesics are prescribed for the relief of severe pain. The leading brand names include Oxycodone, Vicodin, and Percocet. Codeine and morphine are still used.
Common side effects are lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, nausea, and vomiting.
ANTI-ULCERANTS
Antiulcer drugs are a class of drugs, exclusive of the antibacterial agents, used to treat ulcers in the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) block the secretion of gastric acid by the gastric parietal cells. Histamine H-2 receptor blockers stop the action of histamine on the gastric parietal cells, inhibiting the secretion of gastric acid. These drugs are less effective than the proton pump inhibitors but may achieve a 75 to 79% reduction in acid secretion.
Common side effects of PPIs include dizziness, fast or irregular heart rate, watery or bloody diarrhea, muscle cramps or weakness, jerky muscle movements, confusion, feeling jittery, or seizures.
Common side effects of H-2 Blockers include constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, headache, insomnia, decreased sex drive or difficulty having an orgasm, and swollen or tender breasts.
"With that in mind, I have decided to write about the 11 most prescribed medications during 2017 and their side effects."
LIPID REGULATORS (Statins)
Lipid regulators are primarily used to prevent high blood cholesterol levels. They are also prescribed for osteoporosis, postmenopausal complications, and other cardiovascular problems. Common names are Lipitor, Crestor, and simvastatin (generic for Zocor).
Common side effects are headache, nausea, heartburn, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, and muscle pain.
ACE INHIBITORS
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are used to treat high blood pressure, scleroderma, and migraines. The best-selling of these is lisinopril, a generic name for Prinivil or Zestril. It is used to prevent kidney failure caused by high blood pressure, as well as help prevent congestive heart failure and diabetes.
ACE inhibitors may cause a dry cough that resolves when the drug is discontinued.
THYROXINES - Thyroid deficiency
Thyroxine is a time-released main hormone. It is the inactive form and most of it is converted to an active form called triiodothyronine by organs, such as the liver and kidneys. The leading brand names include Synthroid, Levoxyl, and Unithroid.
Synthroid (levothyroxine), which treats hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid disease, has been the top-prescribed medicine for several years. Levothyroxine is a synthetic version of thyroid hormone.
Side effects usually result from high levels of thyroid hormone, which can cause chest pain, increased heart rate, excessive sweating, heat intolerance, nervousness, headache, and weight loss.
ANTIBIOTICS - Bacterial Infections
Azithromycin (generic for Zithromax, Z-PAK) is an antibiotic used for treating ear, throat, and sinus infections as well as pneumonia, bronchitis, and some sexually transmitted diseases.
Its common side effects include loose stools, nausea, stomach pain, and vomiting.
Amoxicillin is a penicillin-type antibiotic used for treating several types of bacterial infections, such as ear, tonsils, throat, larynx, urinary tract, and skin infections.
Its side effects are diarrhea, heartburn, nausea, itching, vomiting, confusion, abdominal pain, rash, and allergic reactions.
ANTI-DIABETES - Type 2 diabetes
Glucophage (metformin) is used alone or in combination with other drugs for treating type 2 diabetes in adults and children.
The most common side effects of metformin are nausea, vomiting, gas, bloating, diarrhea, and loss of appetite.
Januvia helps lower blood sugar in two ways. It helps the body increase insulin to stabilize blood sugar and decrease sugars that are made in the liver.
Side effects include severe pain in the upper stomach spreading to your back (pancreatitis), nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, fast heart rate, urinating less than usual or not at all, weight gain, and shortness of breath.
DIURETICS
Hydrochlorothiazide is used alone or combined with other drugs for treating high blood pressure.
Its side effects include weakness, low blood pressure, light sensitivity, impotence, nausea, abdominal pain, electrolyte disturbances, and rash.
ANTIDEPRESSANTS
Antidepressants are one of the fastest growing classes of prescribed drugs. Ability is used to treat certain mental/mood disorders (such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, Tourette syndrome, and irritability associated with autistic disorder). It may also be used in combination with other medication to treat depression.
Side effects include weight gain, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, changes in appetite, constipation, headache, dizziness, drowsiness, anxiety, feeling restless, sleep problems (insomnia), and cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, and sore throat.
CORTICOSTEROIDS - Arthritis, some cancer symptoms
Synthetic corticosteroids are often used in higher-than-replacement doses to treat diseases of immunity, inflammation, or salt and water balance. The leading brand names include Delasone and Sterapred (prednisone).
Advair Diskus is a combination of a corticosteroid and a beta2adrenergic bronchodilator used to treat asthma and chronic bronchitis, including COPD associated with chronic bronchitis. Singulair is used to treat asthma, and the symptoms of allergic rhinitis (sneezing, stuffy nose, runny nose, itching of the nose), and to prevent exercise-induced asthma.
Side effects of these medications include headache, stomach pain, heartburn, upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, tooth pain, tired feeling, dizziness, fever, stuffy nose, and sore throat.
TISSUE NECROSIS BLOCKERS
Humira (adalimumab) is approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, chronic plaque psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis. It is also used for upper respiratory infections (including sinus infections), headaches, rash, nausea, and back pain.
Its side effects include numbness or tingling, vision problems, weakness in your legs, chest pain, shortness of breath, new joint pain, hives, and itching.
MOST COMMON Rx SIDE EFFECTS
The following list is not definitive for the myriad symptoms that can result from prescription drugs. The list was compiled from the class of drugs listed in this article.
SYSTEMIC SYMPTOMS Anxiety or feeling restless Heat intolerance Confusion Insomnia or irregular sleep problems Dizziness or lightheadedness Itching, rash, and allergic reactions Drooling Muscle pain Fatigue or drowsiness Nervousness Fever Weakness, systemic Fleadache Unexplained weight gain or loss HEAD and NECK Light sensitivity Sneezing Blurred vision Sore throat Cold symptoms Increades or decreased metabolism Stuffy nose due to thyroid medication CHEST Increased heart rate Shortness of breath Chest pain Dry cough Swollen or tender breasts UPPER ABDOMEN Abdominal pain Loss of appetite Gas and bloating Stomach pain spreading to the back Heartburn or stomach pain Vomiting MID-ABDOMINAL ORGANS Fatigue Nausea and vomiting Itching Rash Loss of appetite Weight loss LOWER ABDOMEN Diarrhea (loose stools) Urinating less than usual or not at all Constipation Impotence
Howard F. Loomis, Jr., DC, has an extensive background in enzymes and enzyme supplements. He is the founder and president of the Food Enzyme Institute. His extensive knowledge of physiology, biochemistry, and enzymology has made him a sought-after speaker and a prolific writer. The Food Enzyme Institute offers seminars to healthcare practitioners around the country.
Dr. Loomis published ENZYMES: The Key to Health in 1999. He also co-authored and published The Enzyme Advantage: For Healthcare Providers and People Who Care About Their Health in 2015, and The Enzyme Advantage for Women in 2016, with respected medical journalist Arnold Mann.
Contact info: 478 Commerce Dr. Suite 201, Madison, WI53719. [email protected], 800-662-2630.
References:
1. IMS Health, National Prescription Audit, Dec 2010
2. GoodRx - https://www.goodrx.com/drug-guide 2017
3. Food and Drug Administration.
