Therapeutic Drug Use
(Data are for the U.S.)
- Percent of persons using at least one prescription drug in the past month: 47% (2001-2004)
Source: Health, United States, 2008, Table 98
Physician office visits
- Number of drugs ordered or provided: 1.8 billion
- Percent of visits involving drug therapy: 71%
- Average number of drugs ordered or provided per visit: 2.1
- Most frequently prescribed therapeutic class: Analgesics
Source: National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2006 Summary, Tables 22, 23
- Hospital outpatient department visits
- Number of drugs ordered or provided: 247.7 million
- Percent of visits involving drug therapy: 75%
- Number of drugs ordered or provided per visit: 3.2
- Most frequently prescribed therapeutic class: analgesics
- Hospital emergency department visits
- Number of drugs ordered or provided: 212.1 million
- Percent of visits involving drug therapy: 91%
- Number of drugs ordered or provided per visit: 1.8
- Most frequently prescribed therapeutic class: analgesics
More Data
- Selected prescription and nonprescription drugs recorded during physician office and hospital outpatient department visits by age and sex: 1995-96 and 2004-05 Health, United States, 2008, Table 97
Contact Us:
- National Center for Health Statistics
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Hyattsville, MD 20782 - 1 (800) 232-4636
- cdcinfo@cdc.gov