(This post was updated on )
For a while there I thought I have lost it.
Lost what ?
Lost the ability to do a decent BP measurement.
Patient after patient that I have seen over the years with normal BP were placed on anti-hypertensives by some doctors because their readings were apparently high.
Then the other day I saw a former patient for an URTI.
When told that his BP was perfect for a 60 yo ( 125/80 ), he responded that it " wasn't bad " considering that he had stopped his drugs for more than 2 months.
He then recalled that it wasn't me that prescribed it but another GP.
He also related similar stories about three of his acquaintances.
It strikes me that many of these GPs were connected in some way to the adjacent pharmacies; either the practice is owned by the pharmacies or the pharmacies pay rents to the clinics.
Now this is obviously just an observation for now.
But it raises a number of questions.
Is there an inappropriate prescription pressure going on?
It may be more just than BP meds. involved.
Antibiotics come into mind immediately.
Antidepressants?? Depression is such a non-numeral diagnosis.
Is there a conflict of interest when Pharmacists are financially involved with medical clinics?
After all this is a big no no for pathology / radiology providers.
Why isn't the powers that be aware of this?
So the next time you are surprised by one of your patients on anti- hypertensives, you may like to take this into consideration.
There is of course a school of thought that the best BP is the lowest that you are not dizzy from when standing.
So some doctors actually prescribed even in widely accepted ' normotensives. "
We have the PROGRESS study to blame for that!!
