Many of the nearly 70 million Americans with hypertension (high blood pressure) would like to bring it under control through lifestyle changes such as losing weight, cutting back on salt, exercising, or reducing stress. But, like it or not, most will require medication to get their blood pressure where it needs to be. The good news is that we have many excellent blood pressure medications which, when prescribed wisely, can control hypertension in almost everyone. The bad news is that, despite good intentions, doctors are placing millions of people who have hypertension on medications, drug combinations, or doses that are wrong for them, with staggering consequences that include uncontrolled hypertension, higher risk for stroke and heart attack, avoidable side effects, and billions of wasted health care dollars. Here, Dr. Mann, a nationally recognized hypertension specialist, identifies the drugs most likely to have side effects, and those that can be used in their place. He describes the shortcomings of some of the new drugs, while also introducing readers to some excellent old drugs that are woefully underused as a result of the publicity blitz surrounding the new, expensive ones. He emphasizes the importance of matching the medication and dosage to the individual who will be taking them, and presents the overlooked clues that can tell us who should be on which drug (even an excellent drug can be the wrong one if it is given to the wrong person or in the wrong dose). Hypertension and You is directed at the more than 50 million Americans (including a majority of people over the age of 60) who are taking blood pressure medication. Many patients suspect they might be on the wrong medication, but don't know enough to be sure. This book shows how medications can be prescribed more wisely to achieve better results and gives patients the knowledge they need to capably discuss their medications with their health care providers. Hypertension and You provides many ideas and approaches that will be new to readers, and also to many physicians, and which no other book offers. It's the first book to make the case that something is terribly wrong with how doctors are prescribing drugs for this condition. It provides readers with better knowledge of the available medications, empowering them to work with their physician to get onto the medications that are right for them.
About the Author: Samuel J. Mann, M.D., is a Hypertension Specialist and Professor of Clinical Medicine, New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill-Cornell Medical College. He has written more than 50 scientific articles and book chapters about hypertension. His articles have appeared in top medical journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association, Annals of Internal Medicine, Archives of Internal Medicine, and American Journal of Medicine; hypertension journals such as Hypertension, Journal of Hypertension, American Journal of Hypertension, and Journal of Clinical Hypertension; and psychology journals including Psychosomatic Medicine and the Journal of Psychosomatic Research. He is the author of Healing Hypertension: A Revolutionary New Approach, which focuses on the mind/body connection in the treatment of high blood pressure. He has commented on medical news related to hypertension on major network television stations, and his appearances have included Earl Ubell's "Healthwatch" on WCBS and "Good Day New York" on Fox. His work has been featured in many newspapers and magazines including The New York Times, Newsday, Glamour, Longevity, and Bottom Line Health. He has lectured widely to hypertension specialists, general physicians, and to lay audiences.