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American Morning

'Paging Dr. Gupta'

Aired January 06, 2004 - 08:43   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: While doctors prescribe newer and more expensive drugs to treat high blood pressure, a new study says these drugs are no more effective than the older, more affordable medications.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta with us this morning.

Good morning.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: This is an important study, because blood pressure is such a common problem, about one in four Americans actually having blood pressure. And there are all sorts of different medications out there. You have seen the ads on television, magazines, newspapers as well. About one of four Americans, adults that is, is having problems with high blood pressure.

Let me go through the various classes of medication for high blood pressure. Important, because there are older classes and newer classes of medications. One of the oldest is diuretics. People know that as a water pill. Important because it's an old anti-blood pressure medication, but it's also one of the cheapest. There's beta blockers as well, which are also a lot cheaper than some of the newer drugs, such as ace inhibitors, or calcium channel blockers. Those last two medications more expensive.

The important thing, though, Soledad, what they're finding, despite the fact that you are seeing all these newer medications out here, some of these older ones are perfectly fine first-line treatments, and probably should be used more than they are, but they've sort of fallen off the wayside.

KAMBER: Why do you think that's happening?

GUPTA: Well, it's sort of interesting. One is you are seeing a gluttony of advertising, marketing toward these new medications out there, all sorts of different medications out there. You have seen the advertising. That's sort of the -- maybe the underlying cause of this.

But there's also this perceived sort of notion that some of the older medications have increased side effects, they may not be as safe as some of the newer drugs. If it's newer, it must be better is sort of the theory. But we are finding this probably not true, that in fact, these diuretic pills, some of the others pills can be perfectly fine. Also different things that go into prescribing a medication. When a doctor thinks about they are going to prescribe a medication for somebody, they do think about things such as possible side effects. What are the side effects this medication is going to be for an individual? What is the severity of the blood pressure? Not every medication is going to be right for every person. But what is the severity? Might dictate that as well.

And then dosage. Some people don't tolerate certain medications as well, because of the increased dosage that's necessary.

O'BRIEN: So then do you advise people going back to the older medication? Do you sit down and talk to your doctor about getting the most sort of bang four your buck?

GUPTA: I think that this is a message both for patients and for doctors. I think doctors will look at studies like this and say perhaps we can reevaluate some of these older medications, they might have some virtue.

But there are some good questions I think any patient should ask their doctor whenever they've been given any medication, anti- hypertensors as well. Is there a generic version? If you're concerned about cost, there are generic versions that are available for a lot of these medications. Is this the cheapest drug possibly in this particular class? And if I take the medication more often, can I reduce costs as well? You know, it costs a lot of money to go from two times a day pill to a once a day pill. Sometimes you exponentially increase the cost. If you're worried about cost, you can ask those questions.

O'BRIEN: So be a little bit more active a patient in your own health care treatments is probably the way to go.

GUPTA: With all medications, yes.

O'BRIEN: Across the board.

All right, Sanjay, thanks very much.

GUPTA: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired January 6, 2004 - 08:43   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: While doctors prescribe newer and more expensive drugs to treat high blood pressure, a new study says these drugs are no more effective than the older, more affordable medications.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta with us this morning.

Good morning.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: This is an important study, because blood pressure is such a common problem, about one in four Americans actually having blood pressure. And there are all sorts of different medications out there. You have seen the ads on television, magazines, newspapers as well. About one of four Americans, adults that is, is having problems with high blood pressure.

Let me go through the various classes of medication for high blood pressure. Important, because there are older classes and newer classes of medications. One of the oldest is diuretics. People know that as a water pill. Important because it's an old anti-blood pressure medication, but it's also one of the cheapest. There's beta blockers as well, which are also a lot cheaper than some of the newer drugs, such as ace inhibitors, or calcium channel blockers. Those last two medications more expensive.

The important thing, though, Soledad, what they're finding, despite the fact that you are seeing all these newer medications out here, some of these older ones are perfectly fine first-line treatments, and probably should be used more than they are, but they've sort of fallen off the wayside.

KAMBER: Why do you think that's happening?

GUPTA: Well, it's sort of interesting. One is you are seeing a gluttony of advertising, marketing toward these new medications out there, all sorts of different medications out there. You have seen the advertising. That's sort of the -- maybe the underlying cause of this.

But there's also this perceived sort of notion that some of the older medications have increased side effects, they may not be as safe as some of the newer drugs. If it's newer, it must be better is sort of the theory. But we are finding this probably not true, that in fact, these diuretic pills, some of the others pills can be perfectly fine. Also different things that go into prescribing a medication. When a doctor thinks about they are going to prescribe a medication for somebody, they do think about things such as possible side effects. What are the side effects this medication is going to be for an individual? What is the severity of the blood pressure? Not every medication is going to be right for every person. But what is the severity? Might dictate that as well.

And then dosage. Some people don't tolerate certain medications as well, because of the increased dosage that's necessary.

O'BRIEN: So then do you advise people going back to the older medication? Do you sit down and talk to your doctor about getting the most sort of bang four your buck?

GUPTA: I think that this is a message both for patients and for doctors. I think doctors will look at studies like this and say perhaps we can reevaluate some of these older medications, they might have some virtue.

But there are some good questions I think any patient should ask their doctor whenever they've been given any medication, anti- hypertensors as well. Is there a generic version? If you're concerned about cost, there are generic versions that are available for a lot of these medications. Is this the cheapest drug possibly in this particular class? And if I take the medication more often, can I reduce costs as well? You know, it costs a lot of money to go from two times a day pill to a once a day pill. Sometimes you exponentially increase the cost. If you're worried about cost, you can ask those questions.

O'BRIEN: So be a little bit more active a patient in your own health care treatments is probably the way to go.

GUPTA: With all medications, yes.

O'BRIEN: Across the board.

All right, Sanjay, thanks very much.

GUPTA: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com