Hypothyroid medication levothyroxine (Synthroid, AbbVie) was the nation's most prescribed drug in 2013, whereas the antipsychotic aripiprazole (Abilify, Otsuka Pharmaceutical) had the highest sales, at nearly $6.5 billion, according to a new report from research firm IMS Health on the top 100 selling drugs in the United States.
Following levothyroxine as most prescribed were the cholesterol-lowering drug rosuvastatin (Crestor, AstraZeneca), the proton-pump inhibitor esomeprazole (Nexium, AstraZeneca), and the antidepressant duloxetine (Cymbalta, Eli Lilly).
Rounding out the top 10 most prescribed drugs in 2013 (in order) were the asthma drugs albuterol (Ventolin, HFA) and fluticasone propionate/salmeterol (Advair Diskus, GlaxoSmithKline), the antihypertensive valsartan (Diovan, Novartis), the attention deficit drug lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (Vyvanse, Shire), the antiepileptic pregabalin (Lyrica, Pfizer), and the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease drug tiotropium bromide (Spiriva, Boehringer Ingelheim).
After aripiprazole, the next best selling drugs in 2013 were Nexium, at $6.1 billion, and the arthritis drug adalimumab (Humira, AbbVie), at $5.5 billion.
Rounding out the top 10 in sales were Crestor ($5.3 billion), Cymbalta ($5.2), Advair Diskus ($5.1 billion), the arthritis drugs etanercept (Enbrel, Amgen; $4.6 billion) and infliximab (Remicade, Centocor; $4.1 billion), the multiple sclerosis drug glatiramer acetate (Copaxone, Teva Pharm; $3.7 billion), and neutropenia drug pegfilgrastim (Neulasta, Amgen; $3.6 billion).
| Table 1. Top 100 Drugs by Sales | ||
| Rank | Drug (brand name) | Sales, 2013 |
| 1 | Abilify | $6,460,215,394 |
| 2 | Nexium | $6,135,667,614 |
| 3 | Humira | $5,549,996,855 |
| 4 | Crestor | $5,310,818,889 |
| 5 | Cymbalta | $5,219,860,418 |
| 6 | Advair Diskus | $5,121,312,668 |
| 7 | Enbrel | $4,681,201,645 |
| 8 | Remicade | $4,098,233,242 |
| 9 | Copaxone | $3,697,182,238 |
| 10 | Neulasta | $3,580,364,758 |
| 11 | Rituxan | $3,288,614,045 |
| 12 | Lantus Solostar | $3,005,681,663 |
| 13 | Spiriva Handihaler | $2,998,207,542 |
| 14 | Atripla | $2,856,818,557 |
| 15 | Januvia | $2,843,496,907 |
| 16 | Avastin | $2,688,414,938 |
| 17 | Lantus | $2,556,825,619 |
| 18 | Oxycontin | $2,534,909,675 |
| 19 | Lyrica | $2,415,254,835 |
| 20 | Epogen | $2,280,696,834 |
| 21 | Celebrex | $2,237,658,764 |
| 22 | Truvada | $2,235,712,145 |
| 23 | Diovan | $2,169,819,482 |
| 24 | Herceptin | $1,938,804,857 |
| 25 | Gleevec | $1,896,982,614 |
| 26 | Lucentis | $1,859,463,484 |
| 27 | Namenda | $1,856,822,750 |
| 28 | Vyvanse | $1,743,115,521 |
| 29 | Zetia | $1,710,526,476 |
| 30 | Symbicort | $1,563,242,161 |
| 31 | Levemir | $1,547,629,745 |
| 32 | Suboxone | $1,450,554,130 |
| 33 | Novolog Flexpen | $1,377,221,614 |
| 34 | Novolog | $1,349,403,122 |
| 35 | Avonex | $1,240,754,136 |
| 36 | Seroquel Xr | $1,226,532,019 |
| 37 | Viagra | $1,196,812,385 |
| 38 | Alimta | $1,192,134,813 |
| 39 | Humalog | $1,184,189,487 |
| 40 | Nasonex | $1,137,402,455 |
| 41 | Victoza 3-Pak | $1,104,811,637 |
| 42 | Cialis | $1,086,355,583 |
| 43 | Gilenya | $1,059,346,323 |
| 44 | Flovent Hfa | $1,050,009,900 |
| 45 | Procrit | $1,030,419,958 |
| 46 | Isentress | $1,014,678,055 |
| 47 | Xarelto | $996,441,091 |
| 48 | Prezista | $992,087,940 |
| 49 | Janumet | $987,663,598 |
| 50 | Stelara | $965,072,892 |
| 51 | Neupogen | $958,807,372 |
| 52 | Orencia | $957,680,500 |
| 53 | Renvela | $955,330,199 |
| 54 | Reyataz | $934,879,388 |
| 55 | Vesicare | $933,311,254 |
| 56 | Dexilant | $916,401,204 |
| 57 | Tecfidera | $879,673,483 |
| 58 | Humalog Kwikpen | $879,632,962 |
| 59 | Synthroid | $858,725,708 |
| 60 | Vytorin | $858,576,112 |
| 61 | Lunesta | $851,791,226 |
| 62 | Pradaxa | $836,573,805 |
| 63 | Benicar | $832,276,970 |
| 64 | Evista | $823,647,433 |
| 65 | Xolair | $821,783,471 |
| 66 | Aranesp | $809,245,700 |
| 67 | Prevnar 13 | $806,129,346 |
| 68 | Sensipar | $786,320,942 |
| 69 | Xgeva | $785,725,436 |
| 70 | Invega Sustenna | $779,834,172 |
| 71 | Zytiga | $775,269,249 |
| 72 | Avonex Pen | $768,655,140 |
| 73 | Synagis | $767,786,422 |
| 74 | Betaseron | $767,648,290 |
| 75 | Xeloda | $754,133,787 |
| 76 | Ventolin Hfa | $745,629,470 |
| 77 | Zyvox | $726,184,205 |
| 78 | Afinitor | $721,629,719 |
| 79 | Gardasil | $710,208,856 |
| 80 | Zostavax | $705,140,729 |
| 81 | Incivek | $701,317,408 |
| 82 | Sandostatin Lar | $697,961,265 |
| 83 | Aciphex | $683,359,951 |
| 84 | Benicar Hct | $681,353,719 |
| 85 | Bystolic | $681,318,227 |
| 86 | Treanda | $679,052,250 |
| 87 | Focalin Xr | $660,161,202 |
| 88 | Erbitux | $648,984,405 |
| 89 | Tamiflu | $641,134,799 |
| 90 | Tarceva | $640,597,157 |
| 91 | Pristiq | $632,619,542 |
| 92 | Complera | $630,039,312 |
| 93 | Cubicin | $628,034,439 |
| 94 | Velcade | $621,800,823 |
| 95 | Strattera | $616,604,042 |
| 96 | Viread | $599,074,197 |
| 97 | Stribild | $598,844,153 |
| 98 | Welchol | $573,939,710 |
| 99 | Combivent Respimat | $573,179,772 |
| 100 | Xifaxan | $569,762,570 |
| Source: IMS National Prescription Audit, IMS Health | ||
| Table 2. Top 100 Drugs by Monthly Prescriptions | ||
| Rank | Drug (brand name) | Total prescriptions, 2013* |
| 1 | Synthroid | 23,452,848 |
| 2 | Crestor | 23,292,568 |
| 3 | Nexium | 20,156,519 |
| 4 | Cymbalta | 18,864,818 |
| 5 | Ventolin Hfa | 17,371,422 |
| 6 | Advair Diskus | 16,290,417 |
| 7 | Diovan | 12,656,244 |
| 8 | Vyvanse | 10,525,976 |
| 9 | Lyrica | 9,560,440 |
| 10 | Spiriva Handihaler | 9,516,246 |
| 11 | Lantus Solostar | 9,365,899 |
| 12 | Lantus | 9,276,262 |
| 13 | Celebrex | 9,205,630 |
| 14 | Abilify | 8,964,479 |
| 15 | Januvia | 8,685,759 |
| 16 | Namenda | 8,545,395 |
| 17 | Nasonex | 8,144,373 |
| 18 | Viagra | 7,671,000 |
| 19 | Zetia | 7,654,329 |
| 20 | Cialis | 7,523,724 |
| 21 | Suboxone | 7,494,065 |
| 22 | Bystolic | 6,823,634 |
| 23 | Symbicort | 6,155,515 |
| 24 | Flovent Hfa | 6,034,261 |
| 25 | Oxycontin | 5,926,600 |
| 26 | Tamiflu | 5,573,597 |
| 27 | Nuvaring | 5,251,818 |
| 28 | Dexilant | 5,151,097 |
| 29 | Afluria | 5,088,178 |
| 30 | Levemir | 4,946,820 |
| 31 | Benicar | 4,941,124 |
| 32 | Proventil Hfa | 4,487,576 |
| 33 | Premarin | 4,423,103 |
| 34 | Thyroid | 4,417,055 |
| 35 | Voltaren Gel | 4,361,311 |
| 36 | Novolog | 4,160,063 |
| 37 | Vesicare | 4,038,929 |
| 38 | Novolog Flexpen | 3,904,106 |
| 39 | Benicar Hct | 3,864,614 |
| 40 | Humalog | 3,588,291 |
| 41 | Xarelto | 3,584,743 |
| 42 | Vytorin | 3,483,951 |
| 43 | Lunesta | 3,443,227 |
| 44 | Focalin Xr | 3,437,424 |
| 45 | Toprol-Xl | 3,363,632 |
| 46 | Ortho-Tri-Cy Lo 28 | 3,336,409 |
| 47 | Pristiq | 3,322,816 |
| 48 | Lumigan | 3,255,306 |
| 49 | Loestrin 24 Fe | 3,224,378 |
| 50 | Janumet | 3,171,889 |
| 51 | Lo Loestrin Fe | 3,092,756 |
| 52 | Travatan Z | 3,026,842 |
| 53 | Evista | 2,947,634 |
| 54 | Pataday | 2,780,125 |
| 55 | Avodart | 2,689,644 |
| 56 | Pradaxa | 2,580,518 |
| 57 | Zostavax | 2,521,291 |
| 58 | Seroquel Xr | 2,515,894 |
| 59 | Strattera | 2,509,390 |
| 60 | Humalog Kwikpen | 2,317,553 |
| 61 | Detrol La | 2,203,287 |
| 62 | Chantix | 2,186,881 |
| 63 | Xopenex Hfa | 2,066,174 |
| 64 | Exforge | 1,952,589 |
| 65 | Combivent Respimat | 1,941,907 |
| 66 | Exelon | 1,896,536 |
| 67 | Humira | 1,869,383 |
| 68 | Welchol | 1,834,562 |
| 69 | Combigan | 1,790,758 |
| 70 | Victoza 3-Pak | 1,770,921 |
| 71 | Onglyza | 1,726,906 |
| 72 | Premarin Vaginal | 1,719,938 |
| 73 | Lipitor | 1,706,228 |
| 74 | Trilipix | 1,668,031 |
| 75 | Actonel | 1,656,159 |
| 76 | Enbrel | 1,647,506 |
| 77 | Truvada | 1,598,212 |
| 78 | Combivent | 1,568,466 |
| 79 | Aciphex | 1,563,732 |
| 80 | Alphagan P | 1,524,870 |
| 81 | Azor | 1,516,004 |
| 82 | Dulera | 1,494,050 |
| 83 | Micardis | 1,481,385 |
| 84 | Ranexa | 1,462,285 |
| 85 | Viibryd | 1,459,314 |
| 86 | Norvir | 1,452,569 |
| 87 | Patanol | 1,417,850 |
| 88 | Effient | 1,415,883 |
| 89 | Aggrenox | 1,389,839 |
| 90 | Advair Hfa | 1,328,487 |
| 91 | Amitiza | 1,305,080 |
| 92 | Prempro Low Dose | 1,274,042 |
| 93 | Atripla | 1,269,883 |
| 94 | Lotemax | 1,265,850 |
| 95 | Asmanex Twisthaler | 1,249,428 |
| 96 | Tradjenta | 1,238,074 |
| 97 | Ortho Evra 3 | 1,233,388 |
| 98 | Uloric | 1,219,323 |
| 99 | Diovan Hct | 1,217,689 |
| 100 | Levitra | 1,207,939 |
| *New prescriptions and refills Source: IMS National Prescription Audit, IMS Health |
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Cite this: Top 100 Selling Drugs of 2013 - Medscape - Jan 30, 2014.
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