Nearly 7 in 10 Americans are on at least one prescription drug, and more than half take two, according to a new study by the Mayo Clinic.
Antibiotics are the most common medication, with antidepressants and painkillers close behind.
The statistics came from the Rochester Epidemiology Project in Olmsted County, Minn., and were published in the online journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Researchers found that 17 percent of the people studied were taking prescription antibiotics; 13 percent were taking antidepressants, and 13 percent were on some form of opioid pain medication. Drugs to control high blood pressure came in fourth.
Medication numbers were higher among older patients and slightly higher among women than men.
Read the full study here.
