The Great Dangers of Blood Pressure Medications. Unraveling the blood pressure scam. By A Midwestern Doctor (11/27/24)
NOTE: This is an abridged version of a longer article (link below) about the great blood pressure scam.
Story at a Glance (slightly edited)
High blood pressure (hypertension) is increasingly common because the threshold for “high” blood pressure keeps getting lowered.
No evidence exists that lower blood pressure levels reduce deaths.
Excessively low blood pressure carries significant risk.
Many blood pressure medications have unrecognized side effects, some significant.
The great blood pressure scam has been repeated with other drugs, including those for depression, high cholesterol, sleep issues, acid reflux, and more.
This article reviews the key aspects of each common blood pressure lowering medication and healthier ways to address elevated blood pressures.
Key Topics
Changing Guidelines
The Effects of Hypertensive Medications (do they work?)
Harms of Hypertensive Medications (do risks outweigh benefits?)
Diuretics
Beta blockers
Calcium channel blockers
ACE inhibitors (and related medications)
Under-Recognition of Side Effects
Salt lowering (not recommended)
Conclusion
Medicine has been transformed from an artful doctor patient relationship to a disconnected interaction where the doctor carries out clinical algorithms.
Current guidelines for treating blood pressure are flawed and medication practices for lowering blood pressure are too standardized. They must be individualized.
Natural methods for treating causes of high blood pressure should be tried before using medications.
Depersonalized models of algorithmic medicine cannot create health and have led to widespread lost of trust in medical authorities (largely due to the COVID-19 response).
Consumers are now demanding better, more personalized care that emphasizes non-pharmaceutical approaches.
Related:
The Great Blood Pressure Scam (Substack Note with link to full article): substack.com/profile/68…
