Drug/Medication Dependency

[Jdsk]

A major objective of the treatment of high blood pressure is the prevention of cardiovascular disease including heart attacks, heart failure and strokes. It is impossible to know that anything is just as good as anything else simply because none of those has happened yet.

Jonathan

[Slowtwitch]

I have a heart check up every year (I have medical insurance and its an optional 'extra') My heart is in good order, and my doctor tells me that blood pressure can 'blip' for almost anyone, even for quite extended periods of time. There can be no rhyme nor reason to it, for me it was seasonal, but probably also related to bad diet and being overweight. Both of which have since been corrected. His advice to me is to keep on, keeping on what I'm already doing. Too many people are on unnecessary medication.

The thing to remember about any medicine, whilst there are key benefits, there are always side effects. When those side effects outweigh the benefits, you have to question the efficacy of the 'medication'. In some cases that may mean stopping the medication altogether and seeking another remedy.

[Jdsk]

The thing to remember about any medicine, whilst there are key benefits, there are always side effects. When those side effects outweigh the benefits, you have to question the efficacy of the 'medication'.

The point about those long term effects such as heart attacks, heart failure and strokes is that you don't usually know that they're going to happen before they do. But their frequency can be measured in trials and the effects of various interventions can be measured. For people with high blood pressure feeling OK is not enough to know that your risk is as low as it can be.

Jonathan

[thirdcrank]

I have a heart check up every year (I have medical insurance and its an optional 'extra') My heart is in good order, and my doctor tells me that blood pressure can 'blip' for almost anyone, even for quite extended periods of time. There can be no rhyme nor reason to it, for me it was seasonal, but probably also related to bad diet and being overweight. Both of which have since been corrected. His advice to me is to keep on, keeping on what I'm already doing. Too many people are on unnecessary medication.

The thing to remember about any medicine, whilst there are key benefits, there are always side effects. When those side effects outweigh the benefits, you have to question the efficacy of the 'medication'. In some cases that may mean stopping the medication altogether and seeking another remedy.

That doesn't just apply to medicine but just about everything entering your system, including in the context of this thread, alcohol.

[Mick F]

............. including in the context of this thread, alcohol.

Who mentioned that?

[thirdcrank]

Nobody - and that's my point

[S2L]

Is this a slippery slope that some people go down?
Never personally appreciated this issue ever before, and it's made me think.

Some medications are necessary and life saving, some other medications are "lifesyle drugs".
So, it is likely you do need your BP medication in the short term, but if that becomes an excuse to keep your extra weight on, keep drinking and eating processed food, then it is a lifestyle medication and you should try to ween yourself off it.

The classic lifestyle drugs are statins... they go to fix a problem which is entirely preventable by changing your lifestyle (yes, I know it runs in the families, but so do bad habits! It's very little to do with genes). Other lifestyle drugs are the widely advertised medications for stomach aches and gastric reflux that people seem to consume as if they were jelly babies...

So yes, it can be a slippery slope in some cases...

[Slowtwitch]

Agreed about statins, half of my friends are on them, and they are all to a man (and woman) overweight, sedentary and too fond of a binge drink. I was offered them myself when I had BP problems of my own, but flatly refused them. I value my health which seems to be a rarity nowadays, as most people seem intent to self abuse and let the NHS take on the carnage afterwards.