Consumers spend billions of dollars every year on prescription medications. It’s tough to know just how many different medications are available nationwide, but it’s a lot. Some medications are prescribed more frequently than others. And of course, there are generic versions of most of the medications we buy.

Have you ever wondered about the most common prescription medications in the U.S.? If so, this post is right up your alley. Below are the top five based on data compiled by Good Rx, the well-known prescription medication coupon site. You will also find helpful hints for getting the best possible prices on your prescriptions.

The Top Five

Good Rx routinely compiles lists of the most used prescription medications. They make their list based on data reported by pharmacies across the country. As of August 2020, the top five prescription medications in the U.S. were:

1. Atorvastatin

Atorvastatin is a generic version of the cholesterol drug Lipitor. As a statin, the drug is typically prescribed to people who have been unable to lower bad cholesterol levels strictly with dietary changes. Atorvastatin can both reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.

2. Lisinopril

Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor intended to treat patients suffering from hypertension. It is also prescribed to patients suffering from congestive heart failure. It is a generic drug. Two brand-name equivalents are Prinivil, and Zestril.

3. Albuterol

Albuterol is a generic drug designed to prevent bronchospasm. It is sold in aerosol form, allowing patients to inhale it at the start of an asthma attack. Brand-name versions of the drug include AccuNeb, Ventolin, Proair, and Proventil.

4. Levothyroxine

Levothyroxine is part of a class of drugs known as thyroxines. It is essentially a synthetic hormone used to treat thyroid deficiency. Interestingly, there are several different generic and brand-name versions of this drug. However, they are not all the same. Doctors have to be particular about the one they prescribe.

5. Amlodipine

Last but not least is Amlodipine, the generic version of Norvasc. It is a calcium channel blocker normally prescribed for hypertension and angina. Amlodipine is so common that the World Health Organization (WHO) includes it on their list of essential medications.

Saving Money on Prescription Drugs

Most of the drugs on this list are comparatively inexpensive as generics. In fact, Amlodipine is one of the least expensive among all generics. Good Rx says some pharmacies literally give it away for free. That said, you cannot always depend on free medicine. Some prescriptions can be extremely expensive.

If you don’t have an adequate prescription plan, you may have trouble affording your medications. There are options, including shopping for Canadian drugs online. Canada Pharmacy is just one well-known online pharmacy property that sells the most popular prescription drugs that U.S. consumers use most.

Canadian drug prices are cheaper than U.S. prices for a number of different reasons. If you can find what you need online, purchasing prescription drugs from Canada is not a bad deal. There are other options, if you need them.

Prescription coupons like those offered by Good Rx can be a tremendous help. In addition, pharmaceutical companies often have patient assistance programs designed to offer financial assistance to patients purchasing the most expensive medications.

Shopping Around Is Key

Regardless of how you go about it, the key to saving money on prescription medications is shopping around. Do not just go down to your local pharmacy and accept whatever price they offer. There may be other pharmacies within a few blocks that have the same drug at a lower price. You’ll never know if you don’t make an effort to look.