Antihypertensive Medications: Tailoring Treatment

Jeremy Sussman, MD, MS Division of General Internal Medicine University of Michigan Staff Scientist, Center for Clinical Management Research Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs Healthcare SystemMedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Jeremy Sussman, MD, MS
Division of General Internal Medicine
University of Michigan
Staff Scientist, Center for Clinical Management Research
Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs Healthcare System

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?

Dr. Sussman: We could prevent up to 180,000 more heart attacks and strokes in America every year using less medication overall.

MedicalResearch.com: Were any of the findings unexpected?

Dr. Sussman: The amount of benefit was surprising to us. They will likely be unexpected to many clinicians, because we’re recommending a change in how we use blood pressure-lowering medications, which we all use every day.

MedicalResearch.com: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Sussman: A patient’s risk of having a heart attack or stroke is more useful in deciding to use blood pressure medications than their blood pressure alone. This is because high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke, but only one of many.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Sussman: Helping clinicians and patients follow these concepts would be a substantial change to clinical care. Future research should help understand how we can help people understand how to make their preventive choices more effective.

Citation:

Using Benefit-Based Tailored Treatment to Improve the Use of Antihypertensive Medications

Jeremy Sussman, Sandeep Vijan, and Rod Hayward

Circulation. 2013;CIRCULATIONAHA.113.002290published online before print November 4 2013, doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.113.002290

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Last Updated on March 19, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD

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