Record high: More medicines prescribed than ever before

19.07.2023 13:07

In 2022, doctors will have prescribed more medicines to TK-insured employees than ever before. According to the TK health report, each of them received an average of 269 daily doses last year. In 2000, at the start of the TK evaluations, there were still 201 daily doses per employed person. “This is a record high to date,” said Dr. Jens Baas, Chairman of the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK).

By far the most frequently prescribed drugs are cardiovascular drugs, such as antihypertensives (102 daily doses per employed person). This is followed by medications for stomach/intestinal problems and heartburn (36 daily doses) as well as medications for the nervous system, such as antidepressants (27 daily doses).

Pills for the pump

“We have observed an almost continuous increase in cardiovascular medications for years. The volume of prescriptions here has more than doubled since 2000,” says cashier Baas. On the one hand, this is due to demographic change. On the other hand, many cardiovascular problems can also be traced back to an unhealthy lifestyle such as a lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet. According to the Federal Statistical Office, 54 percent of people in Germany are overweight or obese, and the trend is rising. Stress can also be a significant factor in promoting high blood pressure. According to the TK stress study, people's perception of stress has increased significantly in recent years. “A healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, regular exercise and stress reduction contributes significantly to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease,” says Baas.

The data comes from the 2023 health report, which, among other things, evaluates the medication prescriptions of the approximately 5.6 million employed people insured by TK. In addition to those in employment, this also includes recipients of unemployment benefit I.