work on the heart. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), also called angiotensin II receptor antagonists, prevent angiotensin from binding to its receptor in the walls of the blood vessels. This results in a lower blood pressure. These medications are often prescribed because they are less likely to cause a chronic cough than medications called angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE Inhibitors), which also work on the “angiotensin system” to control high blood pressure.
Convincing evidence shows that angiotensin receptor blockers (unlike ACE inhibitors) increase the rates of myocardial infarction (heart attacks) despite their beneficial effects on reducing blood pressure.18
Examples of commonly prescribed angiotensin receptor blockers are: candesartan (Atacand), eprosartan (Tevetan), irbesartan (Avapro), telmisartan (Mycardis), valsartan (Diovan), and losartan (Cozaar).
ACE Inhibitors Are Less Beneficial and More Dangerous Than Advertised
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE Inhibitors) have been used for decades to treat hypertension and heart disease. Their main selling point is that they are said to be “renal-protective,” meaning they help protect the kidneys from failing, especially for people with already existing kidney disease and/or diabetes. However, their value for protecting the kidneys has been largely refuted.20-23 The ALLHAT data (the largest antihypertensive trial and the second largest lipid-lowering trial) showed that among those patients with diabetes, more patients in the ACE inhibitor (lisinopril) group progressed to end stage kidney failure compared with the chlorthalidone group.23 Acute and chronic kidney failure from the use of these drugs is also reported (and is much more common than most doctors realize).19,23
Examples of commonly prescribed ACE inhibitors are: benzapril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), and trandolapril (Mavik).
Medication Benefits Are Oversold
Not surprisingly, pharmaceutical companies make great efforts to advertise the benefits of their products and to cover up the harms. To be more blunt, these companies lie to doctors, patients, medical journals, and the media.24 One common method used is to report unimportant benefits from use of their products, such as lowering the blood pressure, rather than reporting very important end points like staying alive and reducing the risk of a stroke or heart attack.
They also report “relative benefits” rather than “absolute benefits.” For example, the risk of stroke over five years is fifteen cases per thousand for untreated patients and nine cases for those actively treated with medications.25 The relative risk reduction is 15 minus 9 divided by 15 or a 40% reduction. Forty percent sounds like a great benefit. However, figuring more honestly with reports of the absolute benefit are far less impressive. The absolute reduction in stroke from treatment with medication is 15 minus 9 strokes, which equals only 6 strokes prevented after treating a thousand people with medication for five years. In other words, annually, one stroke is prevented by treating one thousand patients. That’s a lot of money spent and side effects suffered for a very low absolute benefit. (Would you trade sexual dysfunction for this one in a thousand possible benefit?)
The bottom line is this: Make all efforts to avoid the need for medications or any other medical services by staying healthy. This means following the McDougall diet, exercising and practicing clean habits.
References:
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