Published 12 November 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b4663
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b4663

Views & Reviews

From the Frontline

Dr Doom

"So, to hypertension." I stand in my pyjamas halfway through practising my presentation on "Less medicine is more medicine." "Brilliant, bravo!" shout the boys, followed by US style whooping. They all jump on the sofa clapping. My eldest exercises a glib overconfidence I find disarmingly familiar. "Sod hypertension! Now can we play Call of Duty?"

But he should care, because the British Heart Foundation estimates that 30% of the UK population is hypertensive, a figure that rises to 70% among people over the age of 75. Current prescribing policy is one of polypharmacy, and millions of patients are being treated. But is hypertension overdiagnosed and overtreated?

I have tracked down the Medical Research Council’s early hypertension trials and the industry sponsored research with trashy magazine style titles such as Hot, Insight, and Life and studied the national guidelines. I’ve pored over national disease trends and noted the plummeting . . . [Full text of this article]

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This will hurt...

L Sam Lewis
bmj.com, 15 Nov 2009 [Full text]

Re: This will hurt...

Des Spence
bmj.com, 16 Nov 2009 [Full text]

Re: Re: This will hurt...

L Sam Lewis
bmj.com, 17 Nov 2009 [Full text]

Re: Re: Re: This will hurt...

Des Spence
bmj.com, 17 Nov 2009 [Full text]

Re: Re: Re: Re: This will hurt...

L Sam Lewis
bmj.com, 18 Nov 2009 [Full text]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: This will hurt...

Des Spence
bmj.com, 19 Nov 2009 [Full text]