Certainly, while physicians may be concerned about side effects, the threat is not nearly so great as the risk of major cardiovascular events resulting from inadequately controlled blood pressure. Patients are advised that although they may feel healthy at present, a persistently elevated blood pressure increases the risk of developing strokes, heart attacks and heart or kidney failure in the future. Controlling high blood pressure reduces these risks. Most fixed-dose combinations usually are available in two strengths, permitting some flexibility in dosage. The hypertension control rate of only 27 percent indicates that present methods of antihypertensive treatment are faulty.
Physicians can do better.
Combination medicine containing a thiazide as one of the components and more attention paid to compliance could lead the way to improvement. Why patients visit doctors. Top 10 diagnoses based on office visits. Burt VL, Whelton P, Roccella EJ, Brown C, Cutler JA, Higgins M, et al. Prevalence of hypertension in the US adult population.