Rise in Rx Use in Children
Thursday, December 30, 2010
According to Medco Health Solutions Inc., roughly one in four children and nearly 30% of those ages 10 to 19 years take prescription medication on a routine basis.
Based on 2009 figures, almost 7% of these children are on two or more drugs. Medco also revealed that prescription drug use in children was almost four times higher than adults in 2009.
Common Medications
A number of medications that children take can be attributed to treatment for common ailments such as asthma and ADHD.
Since 2001, however, cholesterol-lowering drugs have seen a 50% increase in adolescent intake. Use of blood pressure medication in children has increased by 24%, and heartburn and acid reflux drug use has risen 147%, according to Medco's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Robert Epstein.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reports many children are taking a variety of medications typically associated with health issues of adults, including statins, diabetes pills and sleep drugs. Use of type 2 diabetes medication in children has risen more than 150% since 2001, most notably in female adolescents. According to the research firm IMS Health, prescriptions for antihypertensives in children could reach 5.5 million this year.
The use of drugs for mental health conditions are also on the rise in children and teens, particularly in girls. Antipsychotic drug use has doubled since 2001, but antidepressant use among children and teens has dropped 23% since 2004.
Cause for Concern
While the effects of most drugs have thoroughly been studied in adults, typically limited research is conducted on the effects of drugs in children. Little is known about the lifelong use of medications, such as cholesterol-lowering drugs. Medical professionals should cautiously evaluate the impact of prescription drug use in children against the benefits.