Blood pressure overtreatment

01 April 1994

Several doctors charge that medicine is overtreating supposedly "high" blood pressure and cholesterol levels among patients.

A Northumberland GP, Dr Malcolm Aylett, is conducting his own local survey, with the support of the Northern Regional Health Authority, to find out which patients can safely come off antihypertensive drugs.

He is looking at 221 patients from 19 local practices who were previously having drug treatment.

Of the 152 followed up so far for at least a year, nearly two thirds remain on no medication without any increase in blood pressure.

!ABMJ, 5 February, 1994.

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