Table 3.
Top Classes of Prescription Drug by Share of Total Drug Costs for Prescription Drug User Group, 2011 or Most Recent High‐Cost Year
| Prescription Drug Class | Percentage of Individuals with One or More Prescriptions | Percentage of Total Prescription Drug Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Persistent‐HCUs (%) | ||
| Antihypertensives | 72 | 11 |
| Drugs for inflammatory conditions | 3 | 8 |
| Cholesterol drugs | 57 | 7 |
| Antidepressants | 41 | 6 |
| Antipsychotics | 16 | 6 |
| Acid‐reducing drugs | 45 | 5 |
| Drugs for respiratory conditions | 26 | 5 |
| Opioids | 36 | 5 |
| Insulins | 14 | 4 |
| Noninsulins | 29 | 3 |
| Episodic‐HCUs (high‐cost year), % | ||
| Cancer drugs | 11 | 18 |
| Drugs for female infertility | 8 | 7 |
| Antidepressants | 27 | 4 |
| Drugs for inflammatory conditions | 2 | 4 |
| Antihypertensives | 25 | 3 |
| Cholesterol drugs | 16 | 3 |
| Antipsychotics | 15 | 2 |
| Anticoagulants | 6 | 2 |
| Pregabalin and gabapentin | 12 | 2 |
| Antibiotics | 52 | 2 |
| Episodic‐HCUs (in 2011), % | ||
| Antihypertensives | 18 | 12 |
| Antidepressants | 15 | 9 |
| Cholesterol drugs | 9 | 8 |
| Antibiotics | 36 | 7 |
| Acid‐reducing drugs | 10 | 4 |
| Opioids | 19 | 4 |
| Drugs for respiratory conditions | 8 | 3 |
| Contraception | 5 | 3 |
| Benzodiazepines | 14 | 3 |
| Nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs | 13 | 2 |
| Transition from HCU (high‐cost year), % | ||
| Antihypertensives | 45 | 9 |
| Cholesterol drugs | 31 | 7 |
| Antidepressants | 36 | 7 |
| Acid‐reducing drugs | 29 | 5 |
| Antipsychotics | 3 | 4 |
| Cancer drugs | 15 | 4 |
| Drugs for inflammatory conditions | 1 | 4 |
| Drugs for respiratory conditions | 16 | 3 |
| Pregabalin and gabapentin | 11 | 3 |
| Opioids | 28 | 3 |
| Transition from HCU (in 2011), % | ||
| Antihypertensives | 27 | 17 |
| Cholesterol drops | 14 | 10 |
| Antidepressants | 17 | 9 |
| Acid‐reducing drugs | 13 | 6 |
| Antibiotics | 31 | 5 |
| Drugs for respiratory conditions | 8 | 4 |
| Opioids | 17 | 3 |
| Benzodiazepines | 15 | 3 |
| Antipsychotics | 6 | 3 |
| Noninsulins | 6 | 2 |
| Transition to HCU (%) | ||
| Drugs for inflammatory conditions | 3 | 14 |
| Antihypertensives | 45 | 6 |
| Antidepressants | 34 | 6 |
| Cancer drugs | 5 | 5 |
| Cholesterol drugs | 31 | 5 |
| Antipsychotics | 16 | 4 |
| Opioids | 32 | 4 |
| Drugs for respiratory conditions | 19 | 4 |
| Pregabalin and gabapentin | 13 | 3 |
| Acid‐reducing drugs | 26 | 3 |
| Persistent moderate‐cost user (%) | ||
| Antihypertensives | 66 | 18 |
| Cholesterol drugs | 45 | 12 |
| Antidepressants | 29 | 8 |
| Acid‐reducing drugs | 30 | 6 |
| Drugs for respiratory conditions | 17 | 5 |
| Drugs for inflammatory conditions | 1 | 4 |
| Noninsulins | 17 | 3 |
| Opioids | 25 | 3 |
| Antipsychotics | 7 | 2 |
| Benzodiazepines | 26 | 2 |
Costs for episodic‐HCUs and transitions from HCU during their most recent high‐cost year are adjusted for inflation.