Be cautious about long-term therapy such as the treatment of hypertension. Rather than submit yourself to a lifetime of prescription drugs, ask how lifestyle changes such as losing weight and exercise can be helpful.
Faced with a medical decision, patients normally allow their doctor to decide on treatment, assuming he or she “always knows best”. But “Consumer Report on Health” claims that this approach rarely works anymore. Doctors simply are unable to keep up with the flood of new information on medical therapy. Consequently, some medical decisions must be based on the patient’s priorities, not just the doctor’s. This process might even decrease the cost of medical care.
