HOORAY! THE DRUGS WORK: But then again, they don’t

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is easily treated with dietary changes and other modifications to lifestyle.

Those who choose instead to go to their doctor will probably be prescribed a combination of drugs. As one large study recently noted, most doctors adopt a ‘multidrug strategy’ as most patients need more than one drug to control their blood pressure.

Of course, this becomes a lifetime’s regimen as the blood pressure would presumably rise if the drugs were stopped, but at least the drugs seem to work. The same study found that all the standard hypertension drugs were effective. The beta-blockers and the calcium antagonists equally reduced blood pressure in over 70 per cent of patients monitored.

Sad to note, therefore, that a separate study discovered that the multidrug strategy was likely to bring on diabetes in the patient. Paradoxically, diabetes can lead to hypertension and other heart problems.

Now, what was that you were saying about a change of diet. . .?

(Source: Journal of the American Medical Association, 2003; 290: 2805-16).