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SHAUNV

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Prescription medicines for chronic ills up for all ages among insured

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We're Medication Nation.

More than half of all insured Americans are taking prescription medicines regularly for chronic health problems, a new study revealed Tuesday.

The most widely used drugs are those to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol - problems linked to heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

"Honestly, a lot of it is related to obesity," said Dr. Robert Epstein, chief medical officer at Medco, which manages prescription benefits for about one in five Americans.

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Medco's data show that last year, 51% of American children and adults were taking one or more prescription drugs for a chronic condition, up from 50% the previous four years and 47% in 2001. Most of the drugs are taken daily, although some are needed less often.
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  • 2 votes
Reply#1 - Wed May 14, 2008 12:27 PM EDT
{"commentId":1799825,"authorDomain":"Infohack"}

A lot of this is the succesful marketing of the idea to both doctors and patients that these drugs are necessary and a substitute for a healthy lifestyle, and that any behavior outside a narrow norm needs to be treated as a disease.

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  • 2 votes
Reply#2 - Wed May 14, 2008 1:56 PM EDT
{"commentId":1799873,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

Agreed.

I really do think that some of these people are needlessly medicated.

I rarely take meds....most have too many side effects.

{"commentId":1799873,"threadId":"264352","contentId":"1488098","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}
  • 2 votes
#2.1 - Wed May 14, 2008 2:03 PM EDT
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