The Top 300 of 2021 (2024)

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The Top 300 Drugs of 2021

Rank Drug Name Total Prescriptions (2021) Total Patients (2021) Annual Change
1 Atorvastatin 116,702,335 28,111,470 0
2 Metformin 91,151,043 19,883,763 1
3 Levothyroxine 89,309,050 19,064,382 1
4 Lisinopril 88,272,557 20,475,892 0
5 Amlodipine 73,569,606 17,734,288 0
6 Metoprolol 65,529,551 15,535,072 0
7 Albuterol 61,469,064 18,070,429 0
8 Losartan 55,245,074 13,363,279 1
9 Omeprazole 54,561,969 13,900,115 1
10 Gabapentin 47,125,973 10,697,239 0
11 Sertraline 39,206,397 8,478,900 1
12 Hydrochlorothiazide 39,038,822 9,665,980 1
13 Rosuvastatin 32,632,145 8,006,428 4
14 Montelukast 30,996,712 7,119,519 0
15 Escitalopram 30,505,719 6,499,379 0
16 Simvastatin 30,492,289 7,839,909 3
17 Dextroamphetamine; Dextroamphetamine Saccharate; Amphetamine; Amphetamine Aspartate 30,371,088 3,990,803 5
18 Bupropion 29,099,445 6,412,363 0
19 Pantoprazole 27,347,488 7,310,342 1
20 Acetaminophen; Hydrocodone 26,599,439 8,616,204 4
21 Furosemide 26,376,404 6,473,988 2
22 Trazodone 26,310,083 5,322,910 1
23 Fluticasone 25,283,015 7,859,173 0
24 Tamsulosin 23,540,060 6,474,672 0
25 Fluoxetine 22,686,838 4,764,311 0
26 Carvedilol 21,782,177 5,039,099 0
27 Duloxetine 20,012,841 4,444,533 0
28 Prednisone 19,898,457 8,660,906 2
29 Insulin Glargine 19,873,255 3,901,230 3
30 Potassium Chloride 18,543,551 4,479,822 3
31 Citalopram 18,444,405 4,126,597 0
32 Meloxicam 18,226,904 5,819,321 4
33 Apixaban 17,933,195 4,021,147 15
34 Aspirin 17,686,612 5,286,487 2
35 Ergocalciferol 17,179,725 5,191,630 11
36 Ibuprofen 17,043,550 8,701,817 2
37 Clopidogrel 16,723,608 4,187,295 8
38 Amoxicillin 16,657,138 13,130,571 2
39 Pravastatin 15,936,065 3,917,270 5
40 Allopurinol 15,706,780 3,768,723 2
41 Tramadol 15,446,495 5,026,719 6
42 Alprazolam 15,380,320 3,325,555 5
43 Methylphenidate 15,282,088 2,440,779 2
44 Venlafaxine 15,122,966 3,008,776 1
45 Cyclobenzaprine 14,426,039 5,107,046 6
46 Clonazepam 14,197,547 2,352,995 2
47 Atenolol 14,107,487 3,384,297 6
48 Glipizide 13,998,178 3,402,458 1
49 Cetirizine 13,929,421 4,000,093 3
50 Lamotrigine 13,244,443 1,957,025 12
51 Hydrochlorothiazide; Lisinopril 12,908,559 3,026,424 1
52 Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone 12,906,438 2,753,719 7
53 Buspirone 12,694,068 2,644,397 2
54 Spironolactone 12,688,242 3,146,100 3
55 Insulin Lispro 12,035,959 2,270,527 16
56 Warfarin 11,785,098 2,244,265 2
57 Famotidine 11,668,047 3,867,415 9
58 Hydroxyzine 11,643,508 3,392,983 12
59 Oxycodone 11,552,448 4,150,118 5
60 Estradiol 11,382,723 2,864,047 1
61 Diclofenac 11,037,695 4,112,922 11
62 Quetiapine 10,957,922 1,809,254 2
63 Zolpidem 10,838,845 2,402,662 16
64 Fluticasone; Salmeterol 10,678,059 2,794,066 8
65 Cholecalciferol 10,583,900 3,367,693 5
66 Topiramate 10,042,403 2,069,817 9
67 Loratadine 9,990,364 2,515,720 6
68 Latanoprost 9,895,398 2,753,023 9
69 Lisdexamfetamine 9,835,531 1,450,419 16
70 Dulaglutide 9,599,734 1,926,282 26
71 Insulin Aspart 9,568,330 2,082,384 9
72 Budesonide; Formoterol 9,505,098 2,322,938 11
73 Pregabalin 8,996,019 1,687,032 5
74 Glimepiride 8,994,560 2,066,583 13
75 Acetaminophen; Oxycodone 8,987,786 2,612,150 6
76 Ethinyl Estradiol; Norgestimate 8,963,409 2,283,373 13
77 Folic Acid 8,892,870 2,343,374 10
78 Lorazepam 8,860,599 2,204,460 13
79 Ondansetron 8,790,270 4,741,786 4
80 Clonidine 8,613,722 1,835,614 5
81 Fenofibrate 8,600,833 2,043,475 14
82 Doxycycline 8,599,224 4,431,691 3
83 Sitagliptin 8,556,031 1,865,004 9
84 Diltiazem 8,522,821 2,091,547 8
85 Empagliflozin 8,480,340 2,159,608 17
86 Rivaroxaban 8,330,556 1,772,808 0
87 Hydrochlorothiazide; Losartan 8,266,619 2,268,307 6
88 Finasteride 8,254,453 2,480,881 2
89 Tizanidine 8,192,389 2,238,146 5
90 Semaglutide 8,153,559 1,959,322 39
91 Propranolol 7,993,156 2,008,047 3
92 Ezetimibe 7,646,574 2,047,338 8
93 Naproxen 7,592,556 3,530,473 2
94 Alendronate 7,482,354 2,145,965 0
95 Paroxetine 7,482,340 1,614,935 13
96 Cephalexin 7,322,464 4,945,408 5
97 Azithromycin 7,308,877 5,781,665 29
98 Celecoxib 7,082,350 1,967,573 0
99 Aripiprazole 6,805,675 1,400,604 10
100 Lovastatin 6,673,173 1,587,134 1
101 Levetiracetam 6,633,071 1,377,442 9
102 Oxybutynin 6,619,470 1,711,957 5
103 Baclofen 6,516,375 1,635,619 5
104 Triamcinolone 6,413,003 4,010,734 2
105 Ferrous Sulfate 6,320,872 2,164,663 11
106 Hydralazine 6,234,195 1,624,406 3
107 Amitriptyline 5,923,315 1,353,110 26
108 Fluticasone; Vilanterol 5,918,773 1,171,764 7
109 Sumatriptan 5,873,389 1,747,757 2
110 Cyanocobalamin 5,825,048 1,663,130 5
111 Isosorbide 5,601,959 1,436,412 3
112 Hydrochlorothiazide; Triamterene 5,428,906 1,392,875 19
113 Acetaminophen 5,327,155 2,796,327 5
114 Valacyclovir 5,268,219 2,165,806 5
115 Amoxicillin; Clavulanate 5,236,139 4,264,890 8
116 Hydroxychloroquine 5,222,102 1,329,229 10
117 Insulin Detemir 5,214,067 1,027,442 7
118 Clindamycin 5,194,038 2,949,885 7
119 Thyroid 5,159,236 1,012,361 2
120 Valsartan 5,151,116 1,457,484 3
121 Dexmethylphenidate 4,936,398 632,395 9
122 Sulfamethoxazole; Trimethoprim 4,905,134 3,199,276 1
123 Methocarbamol 4,798,559 1,797,747 4
124 Mirtazapine 4,752,292 1,063,153 20
125 Esomeprazole 4,673,931 1,068,821 3
126 Olmesartan 4,581,362 1,173,921 13
127 Chlorthalidone 4,577,162 1,281,201 6
128 Nifedipine 4,567,479 1,237,401 7
129 Pioglitazone 4,526,638 1,045,883 39
130 Oxcarbazepine 4,492,392 759,481 14
131 Donepezil 4,435,098 1,278,743 19
132 Methotrexate 4,402,317 912,086 19
133 Docusate 4,393,499 1,683,774 30
134 Tiotropium 4,361,799 975,405 24
135 Nitrofurantoin 4,327,699 2,493,318 32
136 Meclizine 4,269,435 1,648,602 6
137 Desogestrel; Ethinyl Estradiol 4,229,811 894,531 17
138 Risperidone 4,225,629 584,233 0
139 Nortriptyline 4,183,946 903,333 16
140 Norethindrone 4,164,058 1,311,480 3
141 Ciprofloxacin 4,147,677 2,735,003 9
142 Ropinirole 4,102,324 853,008 14
143 Testosterone 4,021,439 839,946 29
144 Ethinyl Estradiol; Levonorgestrel 4,016,121 1,376,728 15
145 Azelastine 4,011,208 1,350,513 28
146 Insulin Degludec 4,009,540 878,698 10
147 Benazepril 3,932,101 1,056,395 6
148 Dicyclomine 3,919,946 1,194,528 1
149 Diazepam 3,898,003 1,247,334 21
150 Amlodipine; Benazepril 3,883,604 933,017 19
151 Albuterol; Ipratropium 3,876,201 858,352 1
152 Drospirenone; Ethinyl Estradiol 3,875,387 859,872 7
153 Prednisolone 3,816,335 2,269,683 0
154 Metformin; Sitagliptin 3,755,407 784,043 0
155 Valproate 3,633,026 713,499 46
156 Morphine 3,629,439 704,840 16
157 Sildenafil 3,613,743 1,365,796 26
158 Benzonatate 3,569,507 2,046,763 1
159 Rizatriptan 3,505,154 886,004 25
160 Brimonidine 3,470,855 748,650 15
161 Ketoconazole 3,429,167 1,987,923 9
162 Clobetasol 3,428,139 1,849,660 9
163 Timolol 3,406,225 872,159 20
164 Olanzapine 3,347,385 600,079 0
165 Fluconazole 3,276,721 2,070,358 9
166 Liraglutide 3,264,900 784,141 20
167 Progesterone 3,257,570 804,553 9
168 Methylprednisolone 3,254,222 2,413,471 7
169 Acyclovir 3,250,033 1,058,857 7
170 Memantine 3,238,256 809,403 18
171 Tadalafil 3,167,761 757,242 90
172 Irbesartan 3,148,185 744,799 24
173 Fluticasone; Umeclidinium; Vilanterol 2,927,505 668,594 51
174 Nitroglycerin 2,842,773 1,169,220 9
175 Cyclosporine 2,802,769 871,693 37
176 Acetaminophen; Codeine 2,794,323 1,367,664 11
177 Gemfibrozil 2,791,706 635,078 12
178 Desvenlafaxine 2,781,884 534,265 2
179 Insulin Human; Insulin Isophane Human 2,768,890 557,473 67
180 Torsemide 2,753,009 530,362 33
181 Calcium Phosphate; Cholecalciferol 2,734,077 702,638 34
182 Anastrozole 2,728,845 573,970 2
183 Prazosin 2,692,449 512,048 7
184 Colchicine 2,646,595 963,808 57
185 Budesonide 2,617,796 858,977 22
186 Sucralfate 2,616,503 840,715 4
187 Dapagliflozin 2,607,169 715,994 30
188 Promethazine 2,595,247 965,521 20
189 Sacubitril; Valsartan 2,591,806 558,518 30
190 Levocetirizine 2,550,953 725,643 11
191 Dorzolamide; Timolol 2,518,853 788,637 4
192 Hydrocortisone 2,459,727 1,415,290 43
193 Lurasidone 2,433,438 385,353 66
194 Metronidazole 2,380,724 1,315,654 28
195 Doxazosin 2,340,070 593,551 14
196 Verapamil 2,339,847 580,801 45
197 Cefdinir 2,335,533 1,770,777 31
198 Ethinyl Estradiol; Etonogestrel 2,334,719 658,337 4
199 Liothyronine 2,325,739 478,880 19
200 Mirabegron 2,324,745 648,744 40
201 Ramipril 2,305,401 637,126 5
202 Dorzolamide 2,277,156 516,653 14
203 Mupirocin 2,274,043 1,802,051 0
204 Bimatoprost 2,257,784 579,256 38
205 Flecainide 2,199,319 572,389 17
206 Tretinoin 2,167,095 1,255,617 24
207 Phentermine 2,142,309 750,476 26
208 Temazepam 2,139,735 509,034 15
209 Pramipexole 2,126,160 535,282 16
210 Ketorolac 2,124,922 1,059,796 39
211 Magnesium Salts 2,102,185 544,993 9
212 Umeclidinium; Vilanterol 2,042,595 441,676 42
213 Labetalol 2,019,527 507,522 3
214 Glyburide 2,018,968 458,067 14
215 Formoterol; Mometasone 1,992,684 432,955 73
216 Lansoprazole 1,970,097 568,862 25
217 Telmisartan 1,954,206 481,997 31
218 Omega-3-acid Ethyl Esters 1,948,775 573,754 19
219 Atomoxetine 1,948,141 364,455 68
220 Ranolazine 1,910,445 482,386 38
221 Epinephrine 1,896,954 1,432,804 30
222 Letrozole 1,896,630 438,894 35
223 Levofloxacin 1,889,630 1,010,959 17
224 Hydrochlorothiazide; Valsartan 1,871,393 522,202 11
225 Vitamin E 1,844,043 760,854 136
226 Polyethylene Glycol 3350 1,831,598 804,489 0
227 Ethinyl Estradiol; Norgestrel 1,826,599 304,654 89
228 Solifenacin 1,791,635 485,019 38
229 Minocycline 1,787,930 554,000 7
230 Sodium Salts 1,782,361 716,106 44
231 Guanfacine 1,771,668 217,367 69
232 Acetaminophen; Butalbital; Caffeine 1,757,901 642,312 31
233 Nystatin 1,737,715 912,611 6
234 Terazosin 1,729,966 492,399 23
235 Amiodarone 1,713,448 473,164 37
236 Adalimumab 1,690,110 322,011 31
237 Methimazole 1,687,616 553,987 31
238 Medroxyprogesterone 1,675,969 522,666 24
239 Mesalamine 1,672,097 444,846 55
240 Ofloxacin 1,596,736 1,291,221 2
241 Digoxin 1,594,792 393,825 4
242 Diphenhydramine 1,573,897 330,187 50
243 Calcium 1,573,203 537,153 0
244 Nebivolol 1,554,152 446,018 5
245 Terbinafine 1,545,067 800,034 34
246 Linaclotide 1,515,562 449,902 2
247 Chlorhexidine 1,513,289 920,250 26
248 Pancrelipase Amylase; Pancrelipase Lipase; Pancrelipase Protease 1,429,785 265,428 14
249 Fluocinonide 1,402,661 772,594 31
250 Nabumetone 1,401,463 423,505 68
251 Betamethasone 1,389,641 713,755 18
252 Carbidopa; Levodopa 1,375,525 220,845 112
253 Indomethacin 1,374,642 533,139 67
254 Naltrexone 1,343,280 429,014 47
255 Ascorbic Acid 1,330,392 542,050 59
256 Penicillin V 1,328,966 873,254 63
257 Melatonin 1,289,851 452,589 41
258 Calcitriol 1,275,071 332,043 19
259 Erythromycin 1,274,917 962,693 34
260 Dexamethasone 1,263,065 831,486 12
261 Hydromorphone 1,243,299 407,512 11
262 Fexofenadine 1,232,280 445,752 7
263 Olopatadine 1,215,595 779,221 5
264 Isotretinoin 1,199,278 473,970 0
265 Lactulose 1,164,694 424,071 107
266 Mometasone 1,163,500 590,984 35
267 Lidocaine 1,115,403 647,276 70
268 Beclomethasone 1,102,078 373,012 48
269 Ipratropium 1,074,165 400,930 43
270 Sennosides 1,034,701 475,307 21
271 Ciclopirox 976,971 569,640 60
272 Hyoscyamine 972,819 421,879 70
273 Clotrimazole 959,021 474,043 53
274 Betamethasone; Clotrimazole 958,479 719,946 34
275 Senna; Docusate 858,475 433,676 87
276 Ethinyl Estradiol; Ethynodiol 854,356 119,158 148
277 Drospirenone; Ethinyl Estradiol; Levomefolate 840,357 109,562 73
278 Enalapril 832,753 190,679 51
279 Fexofenadine; Pseudoephedrine 829,015 434,981 102
280 Cyproheptadine 814,171 236,080 53
281 Fluorouracil 807,188 642,581 30
282 Hydroquinone 802,769 545,703 85
283 Fish Oil 790,925 221,585 86
284 Benzoyl Peroxide 787,534 276,831 87
285 Phenazopyridine 781,559 538,939 63
286 Moxifloxacin 713,971 416,490 48
287 Loperamide 703,673 310,789 43
288 Guaifenesin 695,138 323,235 36
289 Dextromethorphan; Promethazine 627,117 501,947 62
290 Imiquimod 622,392 437,790 78
291 Sodium Fluoride 614,873 269,633 26
292 Oxymetazoline 608,917 298,517 127
293 Atropine; Diphenoxylate 608,611 210,671 28
294 Brompheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Pseudoephedrine 584,348 525,735 65
295 Polyethylene Glycol 3350 With Electrolytes 552,075 475,245 43
296 Tacrolimus 549,984 431,211 64
297 Codeine; Guaifenesin 542,422 459,999 80
298 Vitamin A 525,987 81,083 0
299 Tobramycin 501,041 406,098 77
300 Bacitracin 498,302 158,742 121

Note: The data source (MEPS prescribed medicines file) is released annually by the U.S. Government. This data release represents survey data from two years prior. The ClinCalc DrugStats Database sanitizes and standardizes this data, and is typically released within a few months of the MEPS release. There is an inherent delay in collecting the survey data (eg, in the 2022 calendar year), MEPS releasing the data from patients (August 2024), and the ClinCalc DrugStats release (a few months later, classified as the 2022 drug list). Click here to read more about the process of creating the DrugStats database from the MEPS prescribed medicines file.

Prescription data source: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) 2013-2021. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Rockville, MD. ClinCalc DrugStats Database version 2024.01. Read more about the ClinCalc DrugStats database.

All ClinCalc DrugStats figures and graphs on this page are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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Updated Sep 12, 2021

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The Top 300 of 2021 (2024)

FAQs

What is the #1 prescribed drug in the US? ›

Atorvastatin calcium was the most prescribed drug in 2022, with 2.8% of claims. Atorvastatin is a statin used to treat abnormal lipid levels and prevent cardiovascular disease.

What are the top 10 most prescribed drugs in the world? ›

The top 10 most prescribed drugs are atorvastatin, levothyroxine, lisinopril, metformin, metoprolol, amlodipine, albuterol, omeprazole, losartan, and gabapentin.

What is the most used pill? ›

Top 10 most prescribed drugs year over year
Top 10 most prescribed drugs year over year
202220212019
1. Vitamin D1. Amoxicillin1. Levo-thyroxine
2. Amoxicillin2. Vitamin D2. Albuterol HFA
3. Levothyroxine3. Ibuprofen3. Lisinopril
8 more rows
Dec 8, 2022

What is the most over prescribed drug? ›

Opioids. Opioids to treat chronic pain represent the case of overprescribing of most concern. Opioids such as hydrocodone and Percocet® are useful for the short-term treatment of pain such as that occurring following a recent injury. Also, opioids are relatively safe for short-term use in appropriate oral doses.

Which country uses the most prescription drugs? ›

Prescription drug statistics 2024
  • Data suggests that among those who take prescription medications, the average number of medications taken is four. ...
  • Research on prescription drug spending suggests that the United States consumes the most prescription drugs.

What are the 13 drugs? ›

Which Substances Does the 13-Panel Drug Test Detect?
  • Amphetamines.
  • Barbiturates.
  • Benzodiazepines.
  • Cannabinoids.
  • Cocaine.
  • Methaqualone.
  • Opiate.
  • Phencyclidine.
May 18, 2022

Which drug is the king of drugs? ›

Thus, the correct answer is option (A), 'Opium'.

What is the world's most legal drug? ›

Caffeine-world's most widely consumed legal, unregulated psychoactive drug.

What is the most expensive drug to buy? ›

There is a new most expensive drug ever—a gene therapy that costs as much as a Brooklyn brownstone or a Miami mansion, and more than the average person will earn in a lifetime. Lenmeldy is a gene treatment for metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) and was approved in the U.S. on Monday.

What pill makes you last the longest? ›

generic tadalafil and its branded version Cialis. Both start working in 30 minutes. The effects can last up to 36 hours, which is why it's referred to as 'the weekend pill'. generic vardenafil and its branded version Levitra.

What is the pill called that makes you hard? ›

All four of the main ED pills — sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra), and avanafil (Stendra) — are safe for most people to use. These drugs are FDA-approved for use in ED. A person must ensure their medication is doctor-prescribed and comes from a legitimate source.

What America's most popular drug has a puzzling side effect? ›

We Finally Know Why. The reason statins can make your muscles sore or weak was unclear—until scientists accidentally stumbled upon an answer. Statins, one of the most extensively studied drugs on the planet, taken by tens of millions of Americans alone, have long had a perplexing side effect.

How many pills does the average American take? ›

If you're like most Americans, you probably start your day with a hot shower, a cup of coffee—and a handful of pills. More than half of us now regularly take a prescription medication—four, on average—according to a new nationally representative Consumer Reports survey of 1,947 adults.

What prescription drugs are not allowed in US? ›

Which medicine is banned in the USA?
  • 1) Oxyphenbutazone. Oxyphenbutazone is a drug that is a non-opioid painkiller. ...
  • 2) Nimesulide. ...
  • 3) Propoxyphene. ...
  • 4) Nitrofurazone. ...
  • 5) Nandrolone Decanoate. ...
  • 1) Valdecoxib. ...
  • 2) Pemoline. ...
  • 3) Sibutramine.
Jan 31, 2022

Which doctors write the most prescriptions? ›

Family medicine and internal medicine top the list with over 84,000 of these physicians having the highest propensity to prescribe branded drugs. Pediatric medicine, emergency medicine and obstetrics/gynecology round out the top five primary specialties on the list.

What are currently the 2 most prescribed types of medications in the US? ›

Most frequently prescribed therapeutic classes: Analgesics. Antihyperlipidemic agents.

What is the most popular OTC drug in the US? ›

WHAT IS THE MOST COMMONLY USED OTC MEDICATION? The most commonly used over-the-counter medications include: Pain relievers such as acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. Medicines for heartburn and indigestion such as omeprazole, lansoprazole, cimetidine, and aluminum hydroxide.

What is the most important drug? ›

Penicillin. Discovered in 1928 and put to use to cure infections in 1942, this is arguably the most important drug discovery in the history of medicine.

What does Xanax do? ›

Xanax works by increasing the amount of the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain to promote calmness and a relaxed feeling. This greatly helps people who suffer from anxiety disorders so that they are able to remain calmer in a particularly stressful situation, help curb panic attacks and calm their body's overactivity.

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