Table 3 Most commonly used medications (by class) among caregivers and caregiver controls during the 6- month pre-index and 12-month post-index period, respectively^a

Total number of unique medications, mean (standard deviation, SD)^b

4.3 (4.5)

4.5 (4.6)

6.1 (5.8)

6.3 (5.8)

Drug class, n (%)

 Antihyperlipidemic drugs, not elsewhere classified (NEC)

17,784 (28.3)

126,906 (28.3)

19,891 (31.6)

143,847 (32.0)

 Psychotherapeutics, antidepressants

9,758 (15.5)

65,620 (14.6)

13,188 (21.0)

77,160 (17.2)

 Cardiac, beta blockers

9,615 (15.3)

67,265 (15.0)

10,852 (17.3)

75,821 (16.9)

 Cardiac, ACE inhibitors

9,429 (15.0)

70,892 (15.8)

10,731 (17.1)

79,487 (17.7)

 Cardiac, calcium channel blockers

6,817 (10.8)

48,666 (10.8)

7,781 (12.4)

55,853 (12.4)

 Cardiac, NEC

6,790 (10.8)

46,939 (10.5)

7,620 (12.1)

53,744 (12.0)

 Analgesic/antipyretic, opiate agonists

8,223 (13.1)

68,557 (15.3)

11,634 (18.5)

96,325 (21.4)

 Analgesics/antipyretic, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs)

7,472 (11.9)

60,674 (13.5)

11,044 (17.6)

85,624 (19.1)

 Gastrointestinal drug miscellaneous, NEC

7,329 (11.7)

51,266 (11.4)

9,105 (14.5)

62,922 (14.0)

 Adrenals & comb, NEC

6,565 (10.4)

49,119 (10.9)

10,084 (16.0)

75,527 (16.8)

 Thyroid/anti-thyroid, thyroid/hormones

6,127 (9.7)

42,104 (9.4)

6,639 (10.6)

46,493 (10.4)

 Antibiotics, penicillins

6,256 (9.9)

43,294 (9.6)

10,539 (16.8)

77,020 (17.1)

 Antidiabetic agents, miscellaneous

5,932 (9.4)

44,211 (9.8)

6,919 (11.0)

50,748 (113.3)

 Antibiotics, erythromycin

4,851 (7.7)

35,126 (7.8)

8,356 (13.3)

60,798 (13.5)

 Anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics, benzodiazepines

4,811 (7.6)

30,820 (6.9)

8,094 (12.9)

40,611 (9.0)

 Anti-Inflammatory agents, eye, ears, nose, & throat (EENT), NEC

4,719 (7.5)

35,335 (7.9)

7,011 (11.1)

53,702 (12.0)