Posted on 03/04/2026 6:39:40 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Americans are popping pills at a rate that might surprise even their doctors—and most of what they’re taking, they chose themselves.
Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults take at least one pill each week, and one in six takes five or more, according to a recent study published in JAMA, highlighting how central medications—both over-the-counter and prescription—are to everyday health.
Researchers surveyed 21,000 volunteers aged 18 and older between 2023 and 2024 to discover the most common drugs Americans are taking.
The top 10 drugs identified by researchers provide a snapshot of the most common health concerns among Americans.
According to the study data, the four drugs occupying the top spots are acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen, all of which are over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs that help to treat fevers and moderate pain.
Among prescription drugs, atorvastatin (used to lower cholesterol), lisinopril (for blood pressure), and levothyroxine (for thyroid conditions) were the most frequently reported.
Less common over-the-counter drugs include diphenhydramine, most familiar as Benadryl, an antihistamine used to treat fevers and allergies, and omeprazole, a drug for acid reflux, which ranks ninth among over-the-counter drugs.
Women were more likely to report medication use than men—67 percent versus 57 percent.
Women also showed higher use of levothyroxine (thyroid replacement) and anti-histamines, while men more commonly reported taking atorvastatin (lowers cholesterol) and metformin, used to treat Type 2 diabetes.
Participants were asked to recall their medication use over the previous seven days, aided by sample labels and prompts about common ailments and medical history to improve recall accuracy. Researchers categorized medications by active ingredients and excluded herbal supplements and topical treatments.
The findings arrive with a warning that experts say too few patients hear: Over-the-counter does not mean risk-free.
Researchers found that medication use could swiftly add up, with one in six adults reporting they took five or more medications in the past week, and 3.3 percent saying they took 10 or more.
“Many people don’t realize these drugs can interact with their prescriptions or add to side effects, especially older adults taking multiple medications,” Reshma Patel, pharmacist and Dallas-based founder of WiseMedRx, where she partners with families to review patients’ medications and identify unnecessary or high-risk drugs, and not involved in the survey, told The Epoch Times.
Daily pain relievers, for example, can affect the kidneys or stomach when combined with other meds, she noted. The bigger issue, she added, isn’t one single drug; it’s that medications are often started and never reassessed. “Over time, these cumulative effects can become serious.”
Tawna L. Mangosh, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and director of the of the Translational Pharmaceutical Science Program, at Case Western Reserve University Medical School, and not involved in the survey, flagged pain and fever medications, which contain acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen, as the over-the-counter (OTC) category of greatest concern, given how frequently they appear in combination cold and flu products. These include sleep aids, cough suppressants, decongestants, laxatives, and proton pump inhibitors.
“Many are combination products with multiple active ingredients,” she told The Epoch Times. “These medications carry risks and are not appropriate for every patient, especially those with certain underlying conditions. That’s why education around OTC products is so critical.”
Both experts stopped short of calling for tighter restrictions. The answer, Patel argued, lies in better systems, not fewer options.
“The solution isn’t to limit access, it’s about smarter use,” Patel said, emphasizing that pharmacists should play a bigger role at the point of sale, and helping patients spot potential interactions. “Clearer labeling, better public education, and routine medication reviews for anyone on multiple therapies can go a long way toward keeping people safe,” she said.
Mangosh agreed, urging patients to read labels carefully. “As use remains high, this reinforces the importance of ensuring patients understand both the benefits and the risks of what they are taking,” she said. “That includes carefully reading medication labels, paying attention to active ingredients, dosing instructions, and warnings, and knowing when to seek additional medical care.”
The study observed distinct shifts in drug use patterns compared to data from the late 1990s.
While the top three medications—acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and aspirin—have held their top positions consistently, pseudoephedrine, once widely used for nasal congestion, saw a marked decline in use after regulatory restrictions in 2005 placed it behind the pharmacy counter and limited purchase quantities.
Meanwhile, loratadine (an antihistamine) and omeprazole (for acid reflux) increased in use after regulatory decisions made these drugs available over the counter, reflecting how regulatory decisions can rapidly reshape what Americans reach for.
The researchers highlight that this widespread medication use emphasizes the importance of ensuring access while balancing safety.
They noted that increasing drug accessibility could potentially lower health care costs—since prescription medications often require doctor visits and higher expenses—but also raised concerns about misuse or adverse effects.
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Americans fill over 6.3 to 6.7 billion retail prescriptions annually, which translates to roughly 19 to 20 prescriptions for every person in the country, with usage rising. About 60–70% of U.S. adults take at least one prescription drug, and nearly 25% take four or more daily,
—SingleCare website.
Clopidogrel, Atorvastatin, Lisinopril,
Metoprolol, Isosorbide, Ranolazine.
Lisinopril has been a big help in keeping my blood pressure at a stablized, normal level.
My dosage comes in one pill combined with Hydrochlorothizide aka Water Pill. I’ve never had any negative side effects from it.
I took Omeprazole for years. Glad I stopped. I just didn’t like the way it made me feel. I use baking soda/water now.
I take Indapamide instead of HTCZ. My PCP had me switch because it’s has a heart and stroke protective profile while HCTZ doesn’t.
I also take low dose naltaxone for chronic osteoarthritis pain.
I have taken omeprazole for many years - started it to fix a hiatal hernia and just kept taking it. I tried to quit a couple years ago and got horrible acid reflux, doc told me it was backlash reaction and that I should go back to taking the omeprazole. May try your trick.
Bkmk
Naproxen is the only thing that will relieve my back pain. The next step would be opioids and I’m not going there.
CC
I felt better with pantoprozole than omeprazole. Pantoprozole is prescription only though.
For a long time, Modern Medicine has been treating the symptoms of disease and not treating the cause.
The second your tongue touches food, it signals the components of your digestive system to send the proper chemicals to the stomach to dissolve the food that is on it’s way.
What happens when the food is artificially flavored and not the actual ‘food product’ that it is imitating ?
Doctors also sell you on pills that REDUCE the ACID going into your stomach, to get rid of the acid indigestion.
This is the opposite of what you should do. The cause is the lack of acid. And the ‘right’ acid. A jigger of vinegar can solve most acid indigestion.
My brother, 66, has been on Lisinopril for a few years. He had an anaphylactic reaction to it about 5 weeks ago. When he got to the ER the nurses immediately asked if he was taking Lisinopril. He was in Icu for two weeks in a medically induced coma, in the hospital for about 10 days after that and rehab after that. Just FYI.
acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen, I can’t take any of these as I am on blood thinners.
Mom took Naproxen for arthritis and ONE DOSE killed her kidneys dead. She had to go on dialysis and died a few months later. None of her children will touch it!
Atorvastatin (used to lower cholesterol), lisinopril (for blood pressure), and levothyroxine (for thyroid conditions) I take all of these along with warfarin for an artificial heart valve. I also take Carbamezapoine to control seizures. You ever have one Grand Mal seizure and you will NEVER want a second one!
About 3 or so years ago, my then family doctor changed my cholesterol medication from Pravastatin to Atorvastatin. Within a week, my urine turned orange, and I began having joint pain, fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, and a bad headache. It was also screwing up my glucose levels. I went for blood work and everything my doctor had tested was drastically out of whack. I stopped taking it on my own, but still ended up in the ER because I woke up with the shakes, and my heart felt like it was racing. I told the ER doctor I suspected it was the Atorvastatin, and told her about the other symptoms I had. After tests, she told me to stop taking it. I told her I had stopped it about a week before, and she said: "Good!!" It took me at least 6 weeks to get back to feeling normal again. That med is listed as an allergy in my medical records. I know some people that take it, and have had no side effects whatsoever.
I take Lisinopril at night before bed, as well as Clonidine. I've been on Metoprolol ER for many years, as well as Diltiazem. These meds consistently keep my blood pressure normal, especially my diastolic pressure.
My smart MD prescribes vitamins, making them deductible med expenses.
Lisinipril was my only prescription drug for years, then got serious case of Vertigo, ended up in hospital where they took all kinds of tests. Take a lot of prescriptions now. Yuk, I hate BigPharma. The only drug I don’t hate is Meclizine, an OTC dizziness prevention pill. Cheap and works great.
Just started Atorvastatin. Made it 79 years without that junk. When weather clears, I’m going to walk fast, then run a lot to get those arteries cleared out and perhaps toss the drug in the garbage where it belongs.
Stay healthy, my FRiend.
Vitamins can be medications if your MD prescribes them. I have an “Extended Prescription List” my MD’s office keeps and will send me a copy when I need it.
Ask your doc to do that.
I had heart burn for 20 years after having my last child. Doctor said because the baby was so big, the flap that keeps acid from coming up into the esophagus was damaged. I finally found a family doctor to take my heartburn seriously many years ago. Up until then, I was living on Rolaids. He prescribed Nexium for me at the time, and sent me to a gastroenterologist. I had an endoscopy, which found I had Barrett's Esophagus and a hiatal hernia. Barrett's Esophagus is pre-cancerous. I'm now 78 years ago. Had my last endoscopy a couple of years ago, and all is still good. I take Omeprazole twice a day with no side effects. Been on acid-reflux medicine for at least 40 years.
My gastroenterologist told me a long time ago, not to eat anything after 8 p.m., because the bulk of the acid produced in your stomach is done while you sleep. Bananas help acid reflux, but there is a lot of potassium in them. I like bananas but can’t eat them regularly, because they raise my potassium level too high.
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