The use of prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs to treat all types of disease processes is on the rise. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports an increase in the spending for prescription drugs in the United States from about $40 billion in 1990 to almost $217 billion in 2006. The Department of Health and Human Services projects drug spending to increase to more than $515 billion by 2017.
Diuretics
Diuretics, also known as water pills, work by helping the kidneys remove the salt and water buildup in the body. Diseases treated with diuretics include congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, glaucoma and edema. Cedars-Sinai reports that the three types of diuretics work on different parts of the kidneys. Thiazide diuretics, available as chlorothiazide, chlorthalidone, indapamide, hydrochlorothiazide and metolazone, work by widening the blood vessels to reduce blood pressure. Loop diuretics, available as bumentanide, furosemide and torasemide, cause more urine production to lower water content in the body. Potassium-sparing diuretics, available as amiloride, spironolactone and triamterene, reduce the amount of water retention in the body but do not cause the loss of potassium.
Antidepressants
Antidepressants work by providing the brain with more access to neurotransmitters that help with normal brain function, according to FamilyDoctor. There are many types of antidepressants, each with a specific chemical action. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, known as SSRIs, include citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine and sertraline. Heterocyclics include amitriptyline, desipramine, imipramine and nortriptyline. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or SNRIs, include venlafaxine and duloxetine. Norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors, or NDRIs, include bupropion. Monamine oxidase inhibitors, or MAOIs, are the least common antidepressants because of potentially serious side effects.
Analgesics
Analgesics are medications used in the control of pain and are available as over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Merck Manuals reports that there are three categories of analgesics--opioid, or narcotic; non-opioid; and adjuvant analgesics. Opioid analgesics, the most potent analgesics, treat severe or chronic pain. Opioids include morphine, codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, meperidine and oxycodone. Non-opioid analgesics, used for mild to moderate pain, include aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen and naproxen. Adjuvant analgesics are drugs, such as antidepressants, anticonvulsants and anesthetics, used in conjunction with some type of pain reliever.
Beta Blockers
Beta blockers are medications used to treat conditions such as congestive heart failure, chest pain, high blood pressure and irregular heart rhythms, according to the Texas Heart Institute. Examples of generic beta blockers include esmolol, sotalol, propranolol, metoprolol, atenolol, metoprolol and bisoprolol.
