My Healthy Heart Blogs
Younger Patients Taking More Heart Medications
10/30/07
General
A greater amount of medications treating high cholesterol and hypertension are being prescribed to younger patients, according to a study released by Medco Health Solutions, Inc.
Approximately 4.2 million American adults ages 20 to 44 were taking medication to treat cholesterol in 2006. That's 4 percent of all Americans in their age group—a significant increase from 2001 when only 2.5 percent of adults their age were taking cholesterol treatments.
A whopping 8.5 million adults in the same age group were prescribed medication to treat high blood pressure in 2006. That was a 21 percent increase from 2001.
Some experts attribute the increase in prescription treatments for high blood pressure and high cholesterol to an increasingly obese population. Others say the increase is a step in the right direction as physicians are more actively combating these two precursors to heart disease and other significant health conditions. Treating high blood pressure and high cholesterol earlier may help prevent serious cardiac events later in life.
Sources:
Medco Health Solutions, Inc.
Reuters Health, October 30, 2007
Associated Press, October 30, 2007
