A study from the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention has found that hospital and doctor visits have surged 20 percent in the last five years, due to factors that include and aging population and an increased demand for antidepressents.

According to the Reuters story, there were 1.2 billion visits to hospitals, emergency rooms, and physicians' offices in 2005, up from 1 billion in the last survey taken. The problem, is that the number of hospitals and physicians has decreased.

From the story:

Of 2.4 billion drugs mentioned in patients' medical records in 2005, 118 million were antidepressants. High blood pressure drugs followed, with 113 million and arthritis or headache drugs were mentioned in 110 million.

The report also shed light on the controversial issue of emergency room visits. Many health care experts are worried that the 43 million people who lack health insurance in the United States must rely on emergency rooms for care -- not the best way to prevent serious conditions.

The report found that 46 million of the visits made to ERs in 2005 were by people with insurance, compared to 19 million by people without insurance.

"With 315,000 people visiting emergency departments every day, the alarm bells are sounding and policymakers should heed the alert and respond," said Dr. Brian Keaton, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, which is pressing for a national commission on access to emergency medical services.