[Pharmboy]

In general, that's true. Where that reasoning breaks down, though, is when the hypertensive patient is either having bad side effects from the conventional drugs OR they're not working anymore. For either of these to occur, it is not rare. What then happens is the physician has to spend a LOT of time trying to get insurance to pay for the more expensive drug.

As they told me in medical school, if a side effect only happens 3% of the time, it sounds pretty good; but if it happens to you, it's 100%.

[metmom]

I know there are exceptions and that medicines can lose their effectiveness if used long term, like anti-histamines.

My main objection is the aggressive marketing to the consumer. Consumers do have the right to know what’s out there, but then the situation arises where people are going to want something just because....

The other problem is that instead of managing their health with proper diet and exercise and sleep, they demand the medicine that’s promoted as a cure all.

It would help if the doctors spent a little more time discussing the options and their benefits and side effects and working with the patient instead of just telling them what to do as if they were little kids.