Tag Archives for Amoxicillin

The 10 Most Prescribed Drugs (and what you should know about them)

I’ve taken the following list of The 10 Most Prescribed Drugs by   as was published from webMD.com in 2011. (Please see full reference below for more information).

While this list is a few years outdated, for all sakes and purposes, I’m going assume that many of these are still widely prescribed.

If you take any of these medications, you probably already know the reason you’re taking it and what the anticipated effects are. You may not be as aware of the common side effects (both long term and short term) of the following drugs.

It is my belief that you should always know exactly what you’re putting into your body, especially for medicinal purposes, and if there are any known risks. Of course, this goes for food and alternative medicines as well. But for this post, I’ll focus on prescription drugs.

SO – Please click on the drug name (below) to learn a bit more about it. (Please pay special attention to the Brand Names for each of these… that may be how you actually identify which drug you’re looking for.)

  • Hydrocodone (combined with acetaminophen) Brand Names: Lorcet, Xodol, Hycet, Maxidone, Zydone, Cogesic, Zolvit, Liquicet, Stagesic, Zamicet, Vicodin, Norco, Lortab — 131.2 million prescriptions
  • Generic Zocor (simvastatin), a cholesterol-lowering statin drug — 94.1 million prescriptions
  • Lisinopril (brand names include Prinivil and Zestril), a blood pressure drug — 87.4 million prescriptions
  • Generic Synthroid (levothyroxine sodium), synthetic thyroid hormone — 70.5 million prescriptions
  • Generic Norvasc (amlodipine besylate), an angina/blood pressure drug — 57.2 million prescriptions
  • Generic Prilosec (omeprazole), an antacid drug — 53.4 million prescriptions (does not include over-the-counter sales)
  • Azithromycin (brand names include Z-Pak and Zithromax), an antibiotic — 52.6 million prescriptions
  • Amoxicillin (various brand names), an antibiotic — 52.3 million prescriptions
  • Generic Glucophage (metformin), a diabetes drug — 48.3 million prescriptions
  • Hydrochlorothiazide (various brand names), a water pill used to lower blood pressure — 47.8 million prescriptions.

FOR THE RECORD:

I am in no way suggesting you stop (or start) taking any of these drugs that may (or may not) have been prescribed to you. This can be incredibly dangerous. Please talk with your physician about any concerns you may have with these drugs.

REFERENCES:

DeNoon, Daniel J. “The 10 Most Prescribed Drugs.” WebMD. WebMD, 20 Apr. 2011. Web. 22 July 2013. <http://www.webmd.com/news/20110420/the-10-most-prescribed-drugs&gt;.