The Top 10 Most Expensive Popular Generic Drugs in the U.S.

The list of expensive drugs is extensive. Experts often argue that the cost of some drugs is seriously overstated for a number of reasons, including lack of competition. Secure Tabs carefully studied the available list of the most expensive generic drugs in the United States and compiled a kind of “hit list”.

The top 10 most expensive popular generic drugs in America

Bupropion XL

This medicine belongs to psychoanaleptics. The active substance is a selective inhibitor of the capture of norepinephrine and dopamine in neurons. It has a minimal effect on serotonin uptake and does not inhibit MAO.

After oral administration of the drug, its greatest blood content occurs after 3 hours. When taken with food, the content of the active component increases.

Atorvastatin

Atorvastatin is a hypocholesterolemic drug, which is prescribed to lower cholesterol, as well as apolipoprotein B. It is also used if the patient has an increased amount of triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Thus, the drug is prescribed for the treatment of primary hypercholesterolemia, combined hyperlipidemia, elevated triglycerides, dysbetalipoproteinemia (if diet therapy has failed).

It is indicated for patients with an increased risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (heart attacks, strokes, angina pectoris, ischemia), in particular, with a hereditary predisposition to them, including diabetes, hypertension, and smoking.

Sildenafil

This drug is used to treat erectile disorders. It restores reduced erectile function, increasing blood flow to the penis. The mechanism of action is based on the release of nitric oxide in the cavernous bodies at the time of sexual arousal. Free nitric oxide activates the guanylate cyclase enzyme, stimulating an increase in cGMP, which causes relaxation of the smooth muscle fibers of the corpora cavernosa and an increase in blood flow.

Sildenafil is used in men with erectile dysfunction (inability to achieve or maintain an erection of the penis, which ensures successful sexual intercourse).

Clopidogrel

Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet drug. It is used to prevent acute conditions in diseases of the cardiovascular system, including preventing the formation of atherothrombosis in patients with myocardial infarction, strokes, and history of peripheral vascular diseases.

It stops acute coronary syndrome and is also prescribed for patients in the acute period of myocardial infarction, which is accompanied by ST segment elevation. You should be aware that the use of this drug increases the duration of bleeding. The effect is dose-dependent and occurs after 3 to 7 days after the start of treatment.

Tamsulosin

Tamsulosin is a drug that is used in urological practice for benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate adenoma), this is one of the most common diseases in men. The main cause of the disease is an age-related imbalance of estrogens and androgens. Such a hormonal malfunction leads to the appearance of one (several) nodules in the thickness of the prostate, which compresses the urethra with increasing size, which causes a visit to the urologist.

The drug has properties that reduce the symptoms of irritation and obstruction, reduce the tone of the neck of the bladder, smooth muscles of the prostate gland and the prostatic part of the urethra, and the action of this drug improves the process of urine excretion.

The drug is indicated for the treatment of functional disorders of the functional activity of the lower urinary tract with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Escitalopram

It is an antidepressant. The drug selectively inhibits the reuptake of serotonin, helping to increase the concentration of this neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft, enhancing and prolonging its action on postsynaptic receptor sites.

Escitalopram is used to treat:

• relapse of a major depressive episode;
• sociophobia;
• generalized anxiety disorder;
• obsessive-compulsive disorder;
• panic disorder with/without agoraphobia
• post-traumatic stress disorder.

Duloxetine

Duloxetine is a highly effective drug of the antidepressant group, characterized by a combined effect. It has the property of inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. It is able to slightly suppress the reuptake of dopamine. It has no significant affinity for histaminergic, dopaminergic, cholinergic and adrenergic receptors. Dose-dependently increases extracellular levels of serotonin, as well as norepinephrine. It also has a mild analgesic effect.

Duloxetine is used to treat:

• major depressive disorders or clinical depression;
• a painful form of diabetic peripheral nephropathy;
• generalized anxiety disorder.

The mechanism of action of duloxetine in the treatment of depressive conditions is due to its ability to inhibit the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine, and, as a result, increased serotonergic and noradrenergic neurotransmission in the central nervous system.

Duloxetine also produces an analgesic effect, which is probably the result of a slowdown in the transmission of pain impulses to the central nervous system.

Omeprazole

Omeprazole is an antiulcer medicine. Its medicinal effect is associated with the ability to block the proton pump of the H + / K + -ATPase. After ingestion, the capsule dissolves in the acidic contents of the stomach, releasing pellets that enter the duodenum and release active molecules under the influence of an alkaline medium. After absorption, with blood flow, they enter the gastric mucosa and enter the lumen of the tubules of the parietal cells, where there is an acidic medium (pH <3), and are oxidized to the active SA form – sulfenamide-omeprazole. In this form, they bind the SH-groups of H + / K + -ATPase in the tubules of the parietal cells and irreversibly block the enzyme. This violates the last stage of the process of formation of hydrochloric acid – an important component of gastric juice. Thus, the drug reduces the level of basal (on an empty stomach) and postprandial (stimulated) production of gastric juice (dose-dependent).

It also reduces pepsin secretion, the total volume of gastric secretion. The medicine inhibits both night and day acid production. Omeprazole is concentrated in the lining cells of the glands of the stomach, has a cytoprotective effect (prevents the back diffusion of protons from the cavity of the stomach into its mucosa, stimulates the production of bicarbonates, mucus, and the multiplication of epithelial cells). In addition, it has a bactericidal effect on Helіcobacter pylorі, increases the susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics, eradication therapy.

The drug is used to treat:

• NSAIDs-gastropathy (disorders of the stomach caused by taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory);
• gastroesophageal reflux disease;
• hypersecretory conditions (Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, polyendocrine adenomatosis, stress ulcers, systemic mastocytosis);
• acute pancreatitis (to turn off the secretory function of the pancreas);
• gastric ulcer, 12 duodenal ulcer (for the treatment and prevention of relapse);

It is used during eradication (annihilating) therapy of patients infected with Helicobacter pylori with gastric ulcer / duodenal ulcer.

Oseltamivir

Oseltamivir is an antiviral agent. When taken orally, it undergoes hydrolysis, turning into the active form of the drug, oseltamivir carboxylate. The mechanism of action is associated with the ability to inhibit neuraminidases (enzymes involved in replication) of influenza A and B viruses. In this case, the ability of viral particles to penetrate human cells, as well as the release of virions from an infected cell, is impaired. This leads to a restriction of the spread of the pathogen through the respiratory tract.

Oseltamivir is prescribed for the treatment of influenza type A and B in adults and children over one year. It is also used to prevent influenza in adults, adolescents over the age of 12 years, who are at increased risk of viral infection. The drug can be used to prevent flu in children over one year old.

Montelukast

The drug is included in the group of cystenyl-leukotriene receptor blocking substances, which play an important role in the occurrence of bronchial obstructive syndrome. As a result, the drug is effective in the treatment of obstructive diseases that develop in the lower parts of the respiratory system.

Montelukast, which is the main active ingredient of the drug, has the property to bind to cystenyl-leukotriene receptors (CysLT1 receptors), which are responsible for the occurrence of bronchospasm, sputum discharge from the bronchi, and other symptoms accompanying obstructive bronchitis. It is capable of inhibiting bronchoconstriction in patients with asthma.

It has the ability to stop the emerging bronchospasm at all stages of its development due to the ability to reduce the body’s response to allergic antigens. The use of montelukast leads to a decrease in the number of eosinophils in the respiratory tract

This drug is used for the additional treatment of bronchial asthma in children aged 2 to 14 years, suffering from persistent asthma in both mild and moderate degrees, including if they are not adequately controlled by inhaled GCS.

It is also effective if the patient has insufficient asthma control with short-acting β-agonists.

Montelukast is also used for:

• symptomatic treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis in patients with bronchial asthma;
• prevention of asthma, in which bronchospasm is provoked by physical exertion;
• relieving the symptoms of seasonal and year-round allergic rhinitis.

How to save on popular generic drugs?

If you are not ready to buy expensive medications prescribed by your doctor, you can always search for cheaper analogs in online pharmacies. Besides, Internet stores ofter hold sales, offer discounts, special offers, and even bonus pills. The main thing is to choose a reliable seller like Secure Tabs. Online shopping will allow you to save not only money and time and efforts.