Over Half of Americans Taking Rx Drugs For Chronic Conditions

A recent study shows that 51% of Americans are now taking prescription drugs for chronic conditions like diabetes or high cholesterol. According to the Washington Post, this percentage has never been so high in the past.

It is important to note that there are several contributing factors - while more Americans are indeed afflicted with chronic conditions, it is also true that more prescription drugs are available and doctors are more aggressive about treating these conditions. Experts agree that the increase in prescription drug usage is both bad news and good news - bad because Americans may be relying on pills for their health rather than making lifestyle changes, and good because some newer drugs are helping people live longer with diseases like AIDS that used to be considered death sentences.