Study suggests the trend may be contributing to nation's health costs
Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comSome heart patients aren't getting the right care
Seeded on Tue Aug 10, 2010 6:16 PM EDT (msnbc.com)
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I see other things that factors in.
People who continue to drink, smoke or eat unhealthy.
Sedentary lifestyle.
No health insurance. Alot of people losing jobs or many salaries are being cut or reduced.
Prescription prices continue to rise.
Doctors continue to prescribe newer more expensive medications instead of the older, time tested, and cheaper generics.
had-enough is asking all the right questions. The article does'nt mention if the study looked at other factors that are at least, if not better, at treating HF.
Diet and exercise can altogether correct HF in many cases, which would negate the need for any drugs in the long term.
I went into heart failure at 32 after having twin girls. I was in the hospital for 7 days. It was SPONTANIOUS. Drugs are needed to treat, not just diet. A diet will help but if you cant breath and are full of lquid in your lungs and your heart is so weak that it cant pump right how is a salad and jogging going to work better than a drug? I know what you are saying, but I dont think that diet can cure heart failure - its not like a clog in arteries. Diet and exercise will help in the situation and in the long run, but I tell you if I didnt have the drugs they gave me I would be dead. PLUS all the meds I was on were on the generic list. I am now 36 and 100% now, luckily!
I suffered CHF when I was 25, I am now 41. I was and still am an avid cyclist I work out regularly. I watch what I eat and I maintain a healthy weight, I am very careful of my salt intake and most importantly I take meds daily. I don't want to be on meds for the rest of my life but that is what I have to do. The heart does not grow back and become stronger again it is what it is. I have an ef (ejection fraction of 20%) which has held steady for 18 years. Anyone who thinks a little exercise and a healthy diet is all we need is just painfully stupid.
There are quite a few time tested generics on the Wal-Mart $4 a month list a doctor could try before ordering an expensive brand name prescription.
It used to be a pharmacy joke that before most people had insurance or were on Medicaid or Medicare that only those with Medicaid cards could afford the new brand name medications. People would come in looking like they did not have two pennies to rub together and the doctor would order a Rx that costs over $200 a month.
I think exercise that gets the heart beating faster would help in keeping the heart healthy since it is a basically a muscle.
Once you have congestive heart failure all exercise stops, it isn't reversible but it is manageable and treatable, that is what this article is trying to convey.
Generally doctors will only give you the drugs that they get a kickback from the drug manufacture. (Note: If you get a free sample you know where its going). Have you noticed they tell you never to stop taking a drug without visiting them.
They will not prescribe a generic for the above reason (Ask them to put "allow generic" on the prescription)
Apart from the drug company financial thing, they don't want to cure you as they will loose the income generated by your frequent visits.
Phil, perhaps saying doctors don't want to cure you is a bit rough. Many of our problems especially those associated with old age just are not curable. Such conditions as heart failure, kidney failure, mental conditions, chronic pain, etc., just are not curable at this time.
Studies show that many people do stop taking expensive maintance medication when they find out how much it costs. Other patients just skip taking doses of medications.
Out of the 5 medications I take for CHF on two are name brand. They do not have generic equivalent. The reason you get name brand samples is because that is what the doctor is giving generic companies don't give samples. Plus most insurance companies require you take the generic.
I'm dealing with congestive heart failure and I can tell you that it is caused by a life time of BAD decisions. No one thing will do it....you must take meds, exercise and yes, eat a proper diet once you are diagnosed. The diet can kill you quicker than anything.....a little salt and you can end up on life support.....been there and done that twice!!! But Phil is correct.....the prescribtion drug business is simply that...a business. There's no money in the cure, and most doctors and in business to make money too!
Don't let this scare you CHF patients into thinking you'll be dead in 8 years as this article suggests. My husband has had this condition for 13 years now and still goes to work everyday. If one medication doesn't work, ask to try something else. You have to be your own advocate, period.
I too know people who have managed this disease for a long period of time. This disease can attack even those who don't smoke & or drink and have led a normal life. My concern though is a day will come when the government will prevent extending care & technology to those past a certain age.
The drop-off in the use of ACE inhibitors may be due to how rough they can be on a patient's kidneys. After starting an ACEI, my father had an immediate spike in creatinine levels, followed by prostate enlargement. Doctors took him off lisinopril and put him on tamsulosin, and we saw a marked improvement within 60 days.
I am so grateful for information provided in "Success With Heart Failure" by Marc Silver and this helpful website http://www.chfpatients.com/CHFinfo.htm
The majority of doctors don't have a clue on what to do if you have a health issue. All they know what to do is to bombard and overdose you with drugs. You can solve most of your own health issues by looking up your questions on Web MD and reading the testimonials reported by other people. You are more than likely wasting your money thinking that your doctor has the answers to your medical questions. Changing your diet and exercising takes care of most of your ailments.
I was born with Aortic Stenosis and have had 4 open heart surgeries and a pacemaker. My last open heart was when I was 15 and they put an artifical aortic valve in me and a pacemaker. I am 38 years old today have 2 children and thank god everyday. For the most part I am healthy and do everything a normal person does like ski, hike, light wieghts, etc. My advice is to be your own advocate/champion and to study and question constantly. Find the right cardiologist. 2 years ago I developed a cough right before I was going on a vacation. I thought it was a cold. I was told by others that I have been coughing for 6 months and I did not even realize this. I saw my cardiolist and he said that I had mild Congestive Heart Failure. A simple blood test. This condition will kill you if not treated. CHF is when your heart cannot pump the needed blood properly to the rest of your body and fluid backs up into your lungs. The water in your lungs makes you cough. My doctor is an award winning cardiologist with 25 years+ experience but these people are still human. He said that getting the mix right sometimes takes a few tries. Lucklily for me a mix of water pill, Beta Blocker, and Ace Inhibitors worked. These types of drug all have generics and you can easily get a 90 day supply at Walmart for $10 each. Carvedilol is generic for Coreg(Beta Blocker), Lisinopril is the generic for Prinivill (Ace Inhibitor) and Forosemide is generic for Lasik(Waterpill). There are more. Is was amazing that I lost 10 pounds within 1 week. It was all water buildup. In summary: Get your checkups (1-2) times a year, manage your health, get a good cardiologist, have a positive attitude. Also limit your salt. This is even challenging for me.
I had a massive heart attack 7 months ago. Everyone was shocked. I ate well, exercised (maybe not as much as I should), and thought I was doing great. I had just had a physical one month before and had gotten a "clean bill of health." LADIES, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS. READ HEART ATTACK SYMPTONS FOR WOMEN!!! Symptons are very different than for men. I thought I had pulled a shoulder muscle again and maybe the pain was lasting a little longer than usual.stents in RCA and I'm still on the mend, very frustrated with heart/chest discomfort. Meds are giving me quite a lot of side effects. I keep being told I should feel great and I am tired of hearing it. I'm hanging in there but maybe I'm expecting too much improvement, or improvement that's not coming. No history of heart, cholesterol or high blood pressure. This thing sneaked up out of nowhere.