KARTHIKEYAN VENKATACHALAM M.D
Prescription History 1760747430
Internal Medicine - Nephrology in Saint Louis, MO
What does Dr. Venkatachalam prescribe?
In 2024, Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 1,067 Medicare prescriptions for 25 medications. The most prescribed was Sevelamer Carbonate, with 104 prescriptions for 28 patients.
Medicare Part D only. These are prescriptions filled by people with Medicare drug coverage in 2024, from the CMS data released in 2026, the most recent year available. CMS does not publish medications with fewer than 11 prescriptions, so this is not a full list of what Dr. Venkatachalam prescribes.
Medications 25 medications
Prescriptions filled under Medicare Part D in 2024. Select a medication to see what it is used for and how it compares with other Missouri prescribers.
What it is used for
Sevelamer is used to lower high blood phosphorus (phosphate) levels in patients who are on dialysis due to severe kidney disease.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 104 prescriptions for Sevelamer Carbonate, about 2 times as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (52). Medicare paid $103.09 per fill, versus $162.31 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Losartan is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and to help protect the kidneys from damage due to diabetes.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 99 prescriptions for Losartan Potassium, about 78% as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (128). Medicare paid $8.07 per fill, versus $7.83 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Empagliflozin is used with a proper diet and exercise program to control high blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 88 prescriptions for Jardiance, about 1.4 times as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (61). Medicare paid $825.15 per fill, versus $925.72 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Calcitriol is a man-made active form of vitamin D.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 71 prescriptions for Calcitriol, about 1.4 times as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (49). Medicare paid $17.78 per fill, versus $16.80 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Dapagliflozin is used with a proper diet and exercise program to control high blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 66 prescriptions for Farxiga, about 1.4 times as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (47). Medicare paid $756.74 per fill, versus $841.04 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Furosemide is used to reduce extra fluid in the body (edema) caused by conditions such as heart failure, liver disease, and kidney disease.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 61 prescriptions for Furosemide, about half as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (106). Medicare paid $5.13 per fill, versus $4.64 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Amlodipine is used with or without other medications to treat high blood pressure.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 57 prescriptions for Amlodipine Besylate, about 35% as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (164). Medicare paid $2.85 per fill, versus $5.31 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Ferric citrate is used to lower high blood phosphate levels in people who are on dialysis due to severe kidney disease.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 50 prescriptions for Auryxia, about 2 times as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (25). Medicare paid $1,721.37 per fill, versus $1,830.93 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Allopurinol is used to treat gout and certain types of kidney stones.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 46 prescriptions for Allopurinol, about 75% as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (61). Medicare paid $5.91 per fill, versus $8.49 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Sucroferric oxyhydroxide is used to lower high blood phosphate levels in people who are on dialysis due to severe kidney disease.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 44 prescriptions for Velphoro, about 1.7 times as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (27). Medicare paid $2,284.48 per fill, versus $2,757.96 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Cinacalcet is used to treat increased amounts of a certain hormone (parathyroid) in people with long-term kidney disease who are on dialysis.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 41 prescriptions for Cinacalcet Hcl, about 1.5 times as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (28). Medicare paid $27.08 per fill, versus $251.36 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Tamsulosin is used by men to treat the symptoms of an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia-BPH).
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 40 prescriptions for Tamsulosin Hcl, about 38% as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (106). Medicare paid $8.51 per fill, versus $12.31 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Hydralazine is used with or without other medications to treat high blood pressure.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 36 prescriptions for Hydralazine Hcl, about 80% as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (45). Medicare paid $11.65 per fill, versus $11.92 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Finerenone is used by people with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease to lower the risk of dialysis, death from heart disease, heart attacks, and the need to go to the hospital for heart failure.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 33 prescriptions for Kerendia, about 1.2 times as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (27). Medicare paid $650.47 per fill, versus $856.99 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Carvedilol is used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 30 prescriptions for Carvedilol, about 33% as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (91). Medicare paid $5.35 per fill, versus $7.11 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Vitamin D (ergocalciferol-D2, cholecalciferol-D3, alfacalcidol) is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 30 prescriptions for Vitamin D2, about as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (31). Medicare paid $2.32 per fill, versus $9.43 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Calcium acetate is used to prevent high blood phosphate levels in patients who are on dialysis due to severe kidney disease.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 26 prescriptions for Calcium Acetate, about 85% as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (31). Medicare paid $67.62 per fill, versus $64.02 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Febuxostat is used to lower uric acid levels in people with gout.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 26 prescriptions for Febuxostat, about 1.5 times as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (17). Medicare paid $50.29 per fill, versus $90.47 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Lisinopril is used to treat high blood pressure.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 23 prescriptions for Lisinopril, about 15% as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (151). Medicare paid $4.69 per fill, versus $5.80 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Gabapentin is used with other medications to prevent and control seizures.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 21 prescriptions for Gabapentin, about 18% as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (115). Medicare paid $11.99 per fill, versus $15.91 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
This medication is used to treat high levels of potassium in the blood.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 17 prescriptions for Lokelma, about 72% as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (24). Medicare paid $637.14 per fill, versus $688.37 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Nifedipine is used alone or in combination with other drugs to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 17 prescriptions for Nifedipine Er, about half as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (31). Medicare paid $41.77 per fill, versus $22.64 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Bumetanide is used to reduce extra fluid in the body (edema) caused by conditions such as heart failure, liver disease, and kidney disease.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 15 prescriptions for Bumetanide, about 41% as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (37). Medicare paid $15.25 per fill, versus $28.78 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Apixaban is used to prevent serious blood clots from forming due to a certain irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) or after hip/knee replacement surgery.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 15 prescriptions for Eliquis, about 14% as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (110). Medicare paid $877.71 per fill, versus $777.14 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
What it is used for
Atorvastatin is used along with a proper diet to help lower "bad" cholesterol and fats (such as LDL, triglycerides) and raise "good" cholesterol (HDL) in the blood.
Compared with Missouri prescribers
Dr. Venkatachalam wrote 11 prescriptions for Atorvastatin Calcium, about 5% as often as the typical Missouri prescriber of it (225). Medicare paid $12.27 per fill, versus $8.36 statewide.
Volume reflects how many Medicare patients a practice sees as well as prescribing habits. It is not a measure of quality.
Questions about Dr. Venkatachalam’s prescriptions
What does Dr. Venkatachalam prescribe most?
In 2024 Medicare Part D data, Dr. Venkatachalam's most prescribed medications were Sevelamer Carbonate (104), Losartan Potassium (99) and Jardiance (88).
How does Dr. Venkatachalam's prescribing compare with other Missouri prescribers?
Of the 25 medications with a state comparison, Dr. Venkatachalam prescribes 8 more often than the typical Missouri prescriber, 6 about as often and 11 less often. Volume reflects practice size as well as prescribing habits.
Does this list show every medication Dr. Venkatachalam prescribes?
No. It covers prescriptions filled by people with Medicare Part D drug coverage in 2024, and CMS leaves out any medication with fewer than 11 prescriptions.
About this data
This page shows one provider’s slice of public Medicare files. NPI Profile does not receive prescriptions or patient records.
| Source | What it provides here | Data year |
|---|---|---|
| CMS Medicare Part D Prescribers by Provider and Drug | Each medication, prescriptions, patients, 30-day fills, days of medication and cost. State comparisons average the Missouri prescribers of the same medication and form, where at least five wrote it. | 2024 (released 2026, the most recent available) |
| CMS Medicare Part D Drug Spending Dashboard | What each medication is used for. | 2024 |
- Only prescriptions filled by people with Medicare Part D drug coverage are counted. Private insurance, Medicaid and cash purchases are not.
- CMS leaves out medications with fewer than 11 prescriptions and hides patient counts under 11.
- Cost per fill is what the plan and the patient paid the pharmacy together, not what you pay at the counter.
- Medication descriptions are summaries from CMS. They are not medical advice; ask a health care professional about any medication.
