https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/31...cs-report/index.html

Who in the hell does these "studies" and writes the headlines? Part way through the article, it clearly states that the increase is entirely due to the lowering of the definition of hypertension. With that excluded, other forms of heart disease actually declined.

I'm generally not a conspiracy theorist, but big pharma is an exception. Lower the criteria enough, and everyone will be on meds to treat chronic disease for most of their adult lives.

I'm almost certain that as many of the boomer generation age since there's a lot of us, lot's of health issues will be rearing their ugly heads. I'm 66yrs and did my share of abuse to my body partying throughout the 70's and smoking?? I remember when my Mom would drive us anyplace, she smoked like a chimney in the car with the windows up, talk about second hand smoke! Riding bikes as a kid right behind the mosquito sprayer trucks breathing in the smoke..I'm surprised I've lasted this long knowing all the negative effects of the products when they didn't have the facts. Having a heart attack seems so routine these days in the ER's. When they brought me in I didn't even know they were cleaning out my valves and inserting stents until afterwards. I was awake on the table but just thought they were doing routine x-rays until they inserted the catheter to do the work. I was only in the hospital just 3 days!

Between pharma and manufacturers paying for studies to get the outcomes they want, people are duped. Have statins dramatically lowered heart disease? People believe what they’ve been told to believe.

https://www.npr.org/sections/t...o-point-blame-at-fat

quote:

Originally posted by mrvmax:
Between pharma and manufacturers paying for studies to get the outcomes they want, people are duped. Have statins dramatically lowered heart disease? People believe what they’ve been told to believe.

https://www.npr.org/sections/t...o-point-blame-at-fat

The cholesterol scare has pretty much been debunked. Yet, providers still push it and patients still buy it.

Diabetes is another one. Used to be BS of around 120 was fine. Then 110. Then 100. All the while Type II diabetes medications are flying off the shelves.

Hypertension? Same same.

As some one with cardiovascular disease (congestive heart failure), I am assaulted by doctors prescribing medications for me.

I think a patient can get very confused on what course of action to take, I have been on dozens of various medicines since 2009. Everytime I get one crisis under control, another one appears.

Something most people don't realize is, doctors are treating symptoms, not curing those symptoms.

This reminds me of my father. He'll be 86 next month, works a full time job and a part time job. He's in good shape cardiovascular wise (rough shape structurally). His doctor has him on blood pressure meds, even though he doesn't have high blood pressure. They'll him it's a good idea for someone his age. (???)
Last week he had a minor procedure done and was in the hospital for a day. Watching the monitors, at rest his blood pressure is more towards low. But everything they do and everything they give him they do with knowledge of his "high blood pressure"... which he doesn't have. But they see he's on blood pressure meds and treat him accordingly. It's bizarre.

quote:

Diabetes is another one. Used to be BS of around 120 was fine. Then 110. Then 100. All the while Type II diabetes medications are flying off the shelves.

Tell me about it. I get called and given an appointment about my “diabetes.” Huh? I show up with 8 others. We immediately get the “Living with diabetes and this is what you can’t ever eat again.” I finally break in and point out I hadn’t been tested for quite a few months. It’s then I learn that standard for type II was lowered. I left.

Got in with my doctor after gettin* labs drawn. Got a cantankerous snort “You’re not diabetic.”

quote:

Originally posted by Icabod:

quote:

Diabetes is another one. Used to be BS of around 120 was fine. Then 110. Then 100. All the while Type II diabetes medications are flying off the shelves.

Tell me about it. I get called and given an appointment about my “diabetes.” Huh? I show up with 8 others. We immediately get the “Living with diabetes and this is what you can’t ever eat again.” I finally break in and point out I hadn’t been tested for quite a few months. It’s then I learn that standard for type II was lowered. I left.

Got in with my doctor after gettin* labs drawn. Got a cantankerous snort “You’re not diabetic.”

Diabetes runs in my family, my grandmother had it 40 years ago. During my physicals I watch that in particular on my blood tests and it has never been a problem. Last year I bought a blood sugar meter and check myself occasionally. I’ve been burned too many times by doctors to have 100% faith in all they say. I do have a good primary care doc now but I still do my own research when I can. Yeah, I know they go through a lot of schooling but that doesn’t make them all knowing. I’ve had docs that push drugs as a solution for everything. I’ve also run across surgeons that thought surgery was the solution for everything (I guess surgeons mainly make money doing surgery so it makes sense).