This week, Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Natalie Freidin about high blood pressure, and issues related to medication adherence. Dr. Freidin is an Associate Professor of Medicine and a kidney specialist who treats patients in the Advanced Hypertension Clinic at MUSC.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. It's estimated that up to 50% of patients with hypertension fail to take their high blood pressure medications as prescribed. Doctor Natalie Friedin is here to talk about the importance of controlling high blood pressure. Doctor Friedin is an Associate Professor of Medicine and a kidney specialist who treats patients in the Advanced Hypertension Clinic at MUSC. Doctor Frieden, why is it important to effectively manage or treat high blood pressure?
Dr. Freidin: We have decades of evidence that shows if your blood pressure is too high, which is a systolic or the top number, more than 140, your risk of death from heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and other factors incrementally increases.
Conner: And what are the common issues that crop up, just in real life, that interfere with or reduce medication adherence to treat hypertension?
Dr. Freidin: One of the biggest factors are medication side effects. So, hypertension is a condition where your blood pressure is elevated. But our bodies are incredibly well adapt to handle very, very high blood pressure. So, when you have high blood pressure, you don't feel it. When a medication is prescribed for a condition that you don't feel and that then causes side effects, it's very hard to take a medication that then makes you feel poorly for a condition you don't feel like you have.
Conner: And if there are side effects, are there other medications that you can try that are effective with less side effects for that individual person?
Dr. Freidin: Absolutely. I'll often tell people that managing blood pressure is a dynamic process. There's never one size fits all. And often we have to change medications according to patient's lifestyle or cost or other factors that will then help ameliorate those side effects that people can feel.
Conner: And what are some other common issues that might crop up related to taking high blood pressure medication?
Dr. Freidin: Another issue that I run into in my practice is that medications can be expensive. And a lot of patients feel ashamed that they can't afford their medications. There is absolutely no shame in not being able to afford medications, because there are always other alternatives.
Conner: And what are those alternatives and who can help if indeed cost is a big problem?
Dr. Freidin: Often, primary care physician or the specialist prescribing the medications knows of alternatives. There are lots of safety net options. So, talking with your local pharmacist about coupons or other options that are recommended for you. There are also medications we've used for a long period of time that we know work very well and are very inexpensive. One example is something called lisinopril. This medication has been around for a long time and on average costs about $4 a month.
Conner: What can be done to improve hypertension medication adherence?
Dr. Freidin: The first thing that I want people to understand, like I mentioned before, is that high blood pressure is a killer and we have effective treatments for it. But you need to work really closely with your physicians to find the best treatment for you.
Conner: So, part of the message here really is that individuals need to speak up if they're having side effect problems or other issues.
Dr. Freidin: Absolutely. I have found practicing in South Carolina, there is a lot of pride when people come to talk to their physicians, and they're often scared to talk to us about something that's bothering them. I really want to empower people to feel like they have the right to ask questions and say if something isn't working for them, because by treating high blood pressure, we will reduce the amount of heart attacks and strokes that will happen. And I think that is the best part of being a physician.
Conner: Doctor Friedin, thanks for talking with us about treating hypertension.
Dr. Freidin: You're welcome.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
