This blog post is about the most popular prescription drugs in the United States. We will answer the following question: “What are most popular prescription drugs in the USA?” with our top 10 list with most prescribed drugs in the US, plus information about the drugs and where to buy for a low price. We will not go into more deep questions as if doctors should prescribe less drugs or if people should use less prescription drugs and more herbal or natural medications. This are statistics and they don’t come from our pharmacy, but from the FDA and other health institutions.
While you probably think about very popular rx drugs like viagra and cialis, all very well known to the public, in our list there will be also medicines for diseases which you never heard of. This is probably because you, your family or your friends don’t have this disease, however this doesn’t mean that other people on our beautiful planet don’t suffer from it.
Obviously the most popular medications are related to common health issues. One of these health problems is related to the “sexual health” – both for men and women. Because of the fact we eat bad food, have office jobs, don’t do sport enough also many medications are related to blood pressure , diabetes and cholesterol. Last but not least on number 10 there is the extremely popular medication for the mental health / depression etc.
Most Popular Prescription drugs
1. Zocor (cholesterol) – best selling drug to lower bad cholesterol (Merck)
2. Lisinopril (blood pressure) – Also known as Zestril from AstraZeneca
3. Synthroid (thyroid health) – one the 2 top selling meds for thyroid
4. Zithromax (antibiotic) – very effective antibiotics, also for STD
5. Glucophage (diabetes) – oral medication to treat type 2 diabetes
6. Lipitor (cholesterol) – very effective to reduce cholesterol levels
7. Norvasc ( blood pressure) – for treatment of high blood pressure
8. Viagra (sexual health) – the most popular erection pill from Pfizer
9. Cialis (sexual health) – same popular as Viagra, but Cialis works 4x longer
10. Lexapro ( mental health ) – used to treat depression and anxiety
Information about these Rx drugs and where to buy
At our online pharmacy you can not only buy all the above medications ( + 400 others ) however we also have a lot of product information about all these drugs. It always starts with general information about the active ingredient, what the medications is used for and some details about the disease and why this drug is good and popular. However is you scroll down below the prices you also find information about: uses, how to take the medication, side effects, precautions, drug interactions, what to do with missed dose and how to best storage it. We always encourage our clients to read about all these things as an informed person is simply better prepared and knows what to do, how to do and why. Then last but not least you can buy medicines online at our online store for much lower prices than at your local doctor, so watch see and compare and you don’t need a prescription.
While Anxiety is a very important subject for many of our patients and clients, we thought it is time to spend a full blog post article about this subject. At Pharmacy XL we have both antidepressants and anxiety drugs. Everyone experiences occasional anxiety at one point or another in their lifetime. It could be while writing a test or during a presentation in class. Heck it could even be in the few minutes preceding sex. However, anxiety disorders are a group of mental illnesses which interfere with everyday life. People with anxiety disorders usually experience intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Usually anxiety disorders are accompanied with sequential episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a pinnacle within minutes (panic attacks). Anxiety disorders are so common that they affect up to about 30 percent of all adults at one point in their life. It is also possible to have more than one anxiety disorder concurrently. It is more likely for women to experience anxiety disorders than men.
Symptoms may start during childhood or the teen years and continue into adulthood. These symptoms are likely to remain until treatment is initiated and completed. Usually they can occur concurrently with other mental disorders particularly major depressive disorder, personality disorder, and substance use disorder.
According to the American Psychiatric Organization, the estimated percent of U.S. adults in any given year with various anxiety disorders are:
7 to 9 percent: specific phobia
7 percent: social anxiety disorder
2 to 3 percent: panic disorder
2 percent: agoraphobia
2 percent: generalized anxiety disorder
1 to 2 percent: separation anxiety disorder
The good news I am here to tell you, the reader, is that whatever form of anxiety you have, treatment is possible. There are drugs to help in its treatment and alternatives include lifestyle changes and psychotherapy
No clear evidence exists as to which of therapy or drugs is more effective. The patient chooses one of the two based on convenience and preference. The other choice of treatment is only initiated when symptoms are not adequately controlled by the first choice.
Types of Anti-anxiety Medications
There are different classes of anxiolytic medications. Each class is associated with peculiar risks and benefits. Hence it is very vital to be able to distinguish anxiolytics based on classes. Also there is the potential for drug-drug, drug-food interactions when on these medications. This is of extra relevance in patients with other mental disorders apart from anxiety. For example, some medications often used for anxiety may affect the effectiveness of antipsychotics administered at the same time.
Below are the main classes of medications usually used in the treatment of anxiety along with their associated risks and benefits, along with some examples of specific medications within each class.
Anxiety Medications
First-line Options
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
This class of drugs are one of the most commonly used types of medication for anxiety. They elicit their action by increasing the levels of the neurotransmitter, serotonin, in the brain. Examples include citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline. They are usually a psychiatrist’s first choice when choosing a medication for this purpose. Evidence has shown them to be very effective anxiolytics. They are also non-addictive, have no effect on memory or interfere with psychotherapy, and have minimal side-effects. They however are required to be used for at least 4-6 weeks to reach maximum efficacy and they could cause uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms if they are stopped abruptly such as nausea, headache, dizziness, chills, body aches, paresthesias, insomnia, and electric shock-like sensations.
Paroxetine produces withdrawal symptoms at a greater rate than other SSRIs. Withdrawal symptoms appear to be less severe with fluoxetine, perhaps owing to its long half-life and the natural tapering effect associated with its slow clearance from the body. A strategy for minimizing withdrawal symptoms seen with SSRIs is to switch the patient to fluoxetine and then taper and discontinue the fluoxetine. Also evidence exists that SSRIs may increase the risk of suicide among younger patients.
SNRIs do the same thing that SSRIs do. They are monoamine reuptake inhibitors. They inhibit the reuptake of two neurotransmitters in the brain namely serotonin and norepinephrine. The benefits and side effects are practically the same as SSRIs. As such SSRIs or SNRIs are first line choices for generalized anxiety disorder (4).
Examples include venlafaxine, duloxetine and desvenlafaxine.
Other Options
Benzodiazepines
This group of drugs exert their anxiolytic effect by increasing action of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. Examples include alprazolam, clonazepam, diazepam, lorazepam and in short they also called Benzos. They exert their effect much faster than SSRIs and SNRIs. Side effects associated with these drugs have limited their use in clinical settings.
Like SSRIs they can cause withdrawal symptoms when their usage is stopped abruptly after prolonged use. This can result in seizures and death. Tolerance of the drug can also occur. This means that more of the drug would be needed to elicit the same effect. Addiction Addiction to these medications could also arise in certain individuals. Nevertheless, when used appropriately, they play an important role in the treatment of anxiety disorders. For example, they are sometimes used in combination with an SSRI for the first few weeks of treatment before the SSRI has reached maximum efficacy.
TCAS
The use of TCAs in clinical practice is limited by their less favourable side effect and safety profiles compared to the newer antidepressant agents such as SSRIs and SNRIs. They exert their therapeutic effects by increasing synaptic serotonin and noradrenaline by blocking the re-uptake of these neurotransmitters. Examples include imipramine, clomipramine and amitriptyline.Side effects associated with these drugs include anticholinergic effects (dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary retention, constipation and confusion in the elderly), alpha-1 blocking effects (postural hypotension and reflex tachycardia) and antihistamine effects (accounting for drowsiness and weight gain). These effects interfere with patient compliance. However they do improve after a few weeks (5)
Other drugs that could be used include Buspirone and Hydroxyzine
Buspirone
Buspirone is a partial agonist for the 5-HT1A receptor thus increasing amount of serotonin available in the brain. It takes several weeks (4 to 6 weeks) before efficacy is seen. Buspirone is generally safe and well tolerated. Side effects include initial nausea and dizziness, restlessness and fatigue.
Hydroxyzine
The antihistamine hydroxyzine is another medication that is sometimes used to treat anxiety. The anxiolytic effects of hydroxyzine are thought to be due to its blocking of the histamine receptor; however, hydroxyzine appears to be more effective for anxiety than other antihistamines (such as Benadryl) and this may be due to its interaction with a subset of serotonin receptors. The effects are seen much quicker than SSRIs and SNRIs. Hydroxyzine is non-habit forming, does not cause tolerance, withdrawal, or memory impairment. The most significant side effect of hydroxyzine is sedation which tends to decrease over time. Hydroxyzine is the active ingredient in the well known anxiety drug called Atarax and of course available at our pharmacy.
Other Anxiety Drugs and Antidepressants
Of course we discussed just the top what is possible to discuss about anxiety and depression as it is a never ending science and every day we know more. Also there are more medications than just described here, for which you simply go to the homepage of our online pharmacy at https://www.pharmacy-xl.org and then check out the antidepressants section as well as Anti-Anxiety section for a full list of meds we can provide to you for a cheap price.
References
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders American Psychiatric Association (5th ed.). Arlington: American Psychiatric Publishing. 2013. pp. 189–195. ISBN978-0890425558.