The Complete Hypertension Solution Part 4
Over the past 35 years, patients have suffered from a largely hidden epidemic of side effects from drugs that usually have few offsetting benefits. The pharmaceutical industry has corrupted the practice of medicine through its influence over what drugs are developed, how they are tested, and how medical knowledge is created and even marketed. While they continue to exaggerate the potential benefits and grossly under recognise the side effects and negative consequences. As a result pharmaceutical medicines are now recognized as one of the major causes of illness and mortality around the world. Meeting the needs of the drug companies has taken priority over meeting the needs of patients.
Harms of BP medications are very real, but not as well documented in trials as benefits, in fact it often takes decades for many of the side effects to be identified. In one study for example a total of 238 patients were randomized to be treated with two different drugs, 115 given irbesartan and 123 enalapril. While BP reductions were similar in the 2 groups (DBP, 12.7 mmHg irbesartan vs 12.4 mmHg enalapril; SBP, 19.0 vs 17.5 mm Hg). The overall incidence of adverse events (40.0% irbesartan, 51.2% enalapril) was not statistically different between groups. That is, 40% using one drug reported side effects and more than 50% using the other drug reported side effects. Unlike nutritional approaches which can be just as effective and which we show people have ZERO negative side effects. Another study found 34.5% of surveyed people stopped taking the drugs but a huge 85% of the participants experienced side effects over a 12 month period. WOW. And they still sell these drugs? However, even in short term studies roughly 10% of the trial populations stop a drug due to immediate intolerability. Types of side effects vary between antihypertensive classes, including some that can be severe and many of these side effects are dose related, so the more or longer you take them the worse the side effects.
While there are literally thousands of studies on the different side effects from the different BP drugs here are a few major concerns I found in a 5 minute search. Yes just 5 minutes. Antihypertensive drugs increase the fall risk and therefore risk of major injury, particularly for elderly patients which is probably more dangerous than having high blood pressure. As a result perhaps we should not be giving them to the elderly?
Another study cohort (78,615 men) showed the use of antihypertensive drugs led to a 16% increased prostate cancer risk. And a 36% increased risk of metastatic (more deadly spreading) prostate cancer. ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers (10% increased), and diuretics (14% increased) excess risk. So perhaps we should not be giving them men?
While for women current use of any antihypertensive medication was associated with an 18% increased risk of ovarian cancer compared to never users. Mostly from thiazide diuretics which had a 37% increased risk and the associations were stronger for longer use of thiazide diuretics and Calcium Chanel Blockers. So perhaps we should not be giving them to women?
Using Calcium Channel Blockers was also associated with a 13% increased risk of lung cancer when compared with the use of other antihypertensive drugs. With risks increasing with longer people took these drugs. The increased risk for less than 5 years was 12%; 5-10 years: 22%; and taking the drugs for more than 10 years a whopping 33% increased risk.
In another study investigating just the side effects on the skin, Beta blockers, they reported the triggering and exacerbation of psoriasis, psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis, anaphylaxis, contact dermatitis, occupational contact dermatitis, Raynaud’s disease, alopecia, lichen planus-like drug eruption, hyperhydrosis and vitiligo.
Not to mention that patients with hypertension usually report lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Participants with hypertension and not using BP drugs had higher HRQoL scores than those using BP drugs either with uncontrolled or controlled BP. Individuals with hypertension have worse quality of life, particularly when their BP is controlled by drugs.
The answer lies not in treating hypertension symptoms with drugs with deadly side effects but in treating the underlying causes of hypertension and all these other conditions. Literally thousands of studies have shown the benefits of diet and lifestyle factors on hypertension but they never get into the news.
For example more than 10000 studies show you can lower blood pressure naturally and in many cases as effective as any medication, with only positive side effects and at the same time fixing the underlying problems and conditions. I know as I have reviewed more than 1000 studies to create The Complete hypertension solution which is now available in our membership or as a stand alone Masterclass which includes all our other MasterClasses for just $20 more. You can lower your blood pressure naturally and improve all the other health conditions related to it.
References
J Law Med Ethics. 2013 Fall;41(3):590-600. doi: 10.1111/jlme.12068. Institutional corruption of pharmaceuticals and the myth of safe and effective drugs. Light DW1, Lexchin J, Darrow JJ.
Am J Hypertens . 2016 Jun;29(6):772-9. doi: 10.1093/ajh/hpv185. Epub 2015 Dec 7. Drug Side Effect Symptoms and Adherence to Antihypertensive Medication Yacob G Tedla 1 , Leonelo E Bautista 2
JAMA Intern Med. 2014 Apr;174(4):588-95. PMID: 26643686 PMCID: PMC5863783 DOI: 10.1093/ajh/hpv185 . Tinetti ME, Han L, Lee DS, et al. Antihypertensive medications and serious fall injuries in a nationally representative sample of older adults.
Scand J Urol . Oct-Dec 2018;52(5-6):321-327. doi: 10.1080/21681805.2018.1559882. Epub 2019 Jan 30. Antihypertensive Drugs and Prostate Cancer Risk in a Finnish Population-Based Cohort Aino Siltari 1 2 , Teemu J Murtola 2 3 4 , Kirsi Talala 5 , Kimmo Taari 6 , Teuvo L J Tammela 2 3 , Anssi Auvinen 7 DOI: 10.1080/21681805.2018.1559882
Int J Cancer . 2016 Jul 15;139(2):291-9. doi: 10.1002/ijc.30066. Epub 2016 Mar 25. Hypertension, Use of Antihypertensive Medications, and Risk of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Tianyi Huang 1 2 , Elizabeth M Poole 1 , A Heather Eliassen 1 2 , Olivia I Okereke 1 2 3 , Laura D Kubzansky 4 , Anil K Sood 5 , John P Forman 1 6 , Shelley S Tworoger 1 2 PMCID: PMC5105887 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.30066
Ann Pharmacother Actions. 2019 May;53(5):445-452. doi: 10.1177/1060028018814684. Epub 2018 Nov 15. Calcium Channel Blockers and the Risk for Lung Cancer: A Population-Based Nested Case-Control Study Victoria Rotshild 1 , Laurent Azoulay 2 , Ilan Feldhamer 3 , Amichai Perlman 1 , Mendel Glazer 4 , Mordechai Muszkat 5 , Ilan Matok 1 DOI: 10.1177/1060028018814684
Exp Ther Med . 2019 Aug;18(2):955-959. doi: 10.3892/etm.2019.7504. Epub 2019 Apr 18. Immunologic Adverse Reactions of β-Blockers and the Skin Alin Laurentiu Tatu 1 , Alina Mihaela Elisei 1 , Valentin Chioncel 2 , Magdalena Miulescu 3 , Lawrence Chukwudi Nwabudike 4 PMCID: PMC6639944 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2019.7504
J Hum Hypertens Actions. 2012 Jun;26(6):374-80. doi: 10.1038/jhh.2011.48. Epub 2011 May 19. Health-related Quality of Life Is Worse in Individuals With Hypertension Under Drug Treatment: Results of Population-Based Study D J Trevisol 1 , L B Moreira, F D Fuchs, S C Fuchs
