DRUG CLASS | ESTIMATED NO. OF PRESCRIPTIONS DISPENSED FROM CANADIAN RETAIL PHARMACIES, %* |
---|---|
Anti-infective agents | 27 562 270 (7.9) |
Lipid-lowering agents | 19 761 056 (5.7) |
ACEIs; ARBs; and ARBs plus diuretics | 18 170 979 (5.2) |
Anticoagulant or antiplatelet agents | 14 475 103 (4.2) |
Proton pump inhibitors | 13 837 645 (4.0) |
Antidepressants | 11 387 899 (3.3) |
Thyroid medications | 11 172 316 (3.2) |
Diuretics | 10 390 598 (3.0) |
Calcium channel blockers | 8 960 364 (2.9) |
Chronic airway obstruction treatment | 8 745 648 (2.5) |
Glucose-lowering agents | 7 881 004 (2.3) |
β-blockers | 6 521 109 (1.9) |
Benzodiazepines | 6 201 612 (1.8) |
Opioids | 5 966 812 (1.7) |
Bisphosphonate | 4 305 263 (1.2) |
Oral contraceptives | 4 324 106 (1.2) |
Antiseizure medications | 2 869 022 (0.8) |
NSAIDs | 2 787 668 (0.8) |
Atypical antipsychotics | 2 734 171 (0.8) |
Urologics | 1 987 426 (0.6) |
H2 receptor antagonists | 1 117 132 (0.3) |
Smoking cessation (eg, bupropion) drugs | 998 535 (0.3) |
Cholinesterase inhibitors | 916 689 (0.3) |
ACEI—angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, ARB—angiotensin receptor blocker, NSAIDs—nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
↵* The total estimated number of dispensed prescriptions in 2008 was 347 956 493.