What About Blood Pressure Drugs?
We’ve all heard it enough––you will die from a heart attack or stroke if you don’t keep your blood pressure down, with drugs if necessary. To “save lives” (or for the sake of selling more drugs), “experts,” have ratcheted down the so-called normal blood pressure to 110/70. As if this weren’t enough, they are calling for blood pressure screening of kids–-starting at age three!!! And for what? So everyone can be “saved” and all on drugs? The truth is a whole lot more sobering. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, May 2003, took a hard look at drug therapy vs. placebo in the treatment of blood pressure. In 19 trials lasting many years, it was discovered that 1,453 people in the placebo group died, while 1,303 people in the drug-treated group died. |
And for what? So everyone can be “saved” and all on drugs? The truth is a whole lot more sobering. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, May 2003, took a hard look at drug therapy vs. placebo in the treatment of blood pressure. In 19 trials lasting many years, it was discovered that 1,453 people in the placebo group died, while 1,303 people in the drug-treated group died.
This kind of makes you think that 150 people were “saved” and lived an additional 30 years by taking drugs every day. That wouldn’t be too bad. This is what this study implies, but the truth is that no one was actually saved. Rather their deaths were delayed by a maximum of one year!
The startling truth from this study reveals that the average patient taking blood pressure drugs daily for 30 years will gain an additional 9 days of life.! That certainly will change your mind about the hugely inflated claims made by manufacturers of heart and blood pressure drugs. At a cost of almost $1,000.00 a year (1.5 million per year for the study groups) with side effects that often turn heat patients into invalids, it would not be intellectually dishonest to call this kind of medical care a complete waste of time and money.
The Naked Truth
If well-meaning doctors presented the real facts to patients, millions of people would kick the daily drug habit.
This kind of makes you think that 150 people were “saved” and lived an additional 30 years by taking drugs every day. That wouldn’t be too bad. This is what this study implies, but the truth is that no one was actually saved. Rather their deaths were delayed by a maximum of one year!
The startling truth from this study reveals that the average patient taking blood pressure drugs daily for 30 years will gain an additional 9 days of life.! That certainly will change your mind about the hugely inflated claims made by manufacturers of heart and blood pressure drugs. At a cost of almost $1,000.00 a year (1.5 million per year for the study groups) with side effects that often turn heat patients into invalids, it would not be intellectually dishonest to call this kind of medical care a complete waste of time and money.
The Naked Truth
If well-meaning doctors presented the real facts to patients, millions of people would kick the daily drug habit.
Scenario
You find out from your doctor that your blood pressure is high. He or she tells you that you could eat better, exercise, and even (dare I say?) Take some supplements. He or she could then recommend that you go on one or more heart drugs for the rest of your life–drugs that could render you impotent, eliminate energy, cause cardiac arrhythmias, or even heart or kidney failure. They would cost you about $100.00 monthly, would lower your blood pressure numbers, and over the next 30 years would give you (on average) an extra 9 days of life. |
This scenario would be intellectually honest. I think we can all agree that the pharmaceutical industry is not about to stand for this. So the charade continues in the guise of "science." But what the heck, it keeps the economy rolling, and it insures job security for researchers and clinicians like myself, Malcolm Kendrick, MD. (some of. whose material I have used in this article). and thousands of others. Special thanks to Dr. Kendrick. a GP and cholesterol skeptic. Dr. Kendrick practices in a town outside of Manchester, UK.
Health Alert volume 21 issue 11 Dr Bruce West MD
Health Alert volume 21 issue 11 Dr Bruce West MD