One quack doctor put me on a high dosage beta blocker. Side effect: I could not exercise. I use to race bicycles before I went on that.
“But everyone your age should be taking these drugs”
“At your age, you should have more realistic expectations.”
Yet peer review now shows that beta blockers should not be anywhere near first choice medication for hypertension. They have there place, heart failure, post heart attack, etc.
It’s the same with statins, where some doctors are prescribing statins to patients above a certain age - and having low cholesterol - as a “preventative measure”. Statins have there place, yet are prescribed nearly indiscriminately.
I changed doctors to one who would rather see me back on the bike more, and tends to be conservative as far as prescribing medications - dietary changes first if possible. His view was if I am that physically active, beta blockers would be counterproductive.
” I changed doctors to one who would rather see me back on the bike more, and tends to be conservative as far as prescribing medications - dietary changes first if possible. His view was if I am that physically active, beta blockers would be counterproductive.”
Good for you. I also believe in as few medicines as possible. Diet adjustments and supplements first. All docs should be doing blood tests for vitamin and mineral levels to look for possible solutions before prescribing drugs. I am glad you are back on your bike.