AHRQ: $52.2 billion spent on prescription drugs for treatment of metabolic conditions during 2008

Insurers and consumers spent $52.2 billion on prescription drugs in 2008 for outpatient treatment of metabolic conditions such as diabetes and elevated cholesterol, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Metabolic medicines were the class of drugs with the highest level of spending in 2008.

According to data from the federal agency, purchases of metabolic drugs by adults age 18 and older accounted for 22 percent of the nearly $233 billion spent overall to buy prescription medicines in 2008.

Ranked by total spending, the four remaining top therapeutic classes of outpatient prescription drugs in 2008 were :

• Central nervous system drugs, used to relieve chronic pain and control epileptic seizures and Parkinson's Disease tremors - $35 billion.
• Cardiovascular drugs , including calcium channel blockers and diuretics - $29 billion.
• Antacids, antidiarrheals, and other medicines for gastrointestinal conditions -- $20 billion.
• Antidepressants, antipsychotics and other psychotherapeutic drugs - $20 billion.

Overall purchases of these five therapeutic classes of drugs totaled nearly $156 billion, or two-thirds of the almost $233 billion that was spent on prescription medicines used in the outpatient treatment of adults.