IMS Health just released their annual report of American prescription drug use, revealing what’s hiding in America’s pillbox: details that are part good, part bad..and part ugly, too. The pills themselves don’t shed light on any big secrets: Most prescriptions treat high blood pressure, bacterial infections, obesity, and acid reflux. Oh, and did we mention high blood pressure? The bad news is that five of the most-used drugs are prescribed to treat obesity-related conditions — mostly high blood pressure — something that, in many cases, could be prevented or treated by eating a healthy diet and exercising. (But then, we could argue that almost every drug on the list is used to treat a preventable condition.) So where’s the bright side? While the fact remains that many of us are hooked on prescription drugs, we’re starting to slow down our habit. The increase in drug spending and the total use by volume of oral or nasal drugs increased by far less than it has in recent years, giving hope that maybe we’ll start to wake up from our drug-induced haze. More »