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The Pharmaceutical Industry Can be Your Ally By James H. O'Keefe, M.D. "Life is a journey not a destination; and the road is always under construction." Keith Cameron Smith For the last two years or so I was being bothered by an occasional, irregular or skipped heartbeat at random times during the day. For quite awhile I tried to ignore it, hoping it would disappear, but it didn't and the palpitations, as we call them, started to really annoy and worry me. So I saw a cardiologist (just by coincidence I happen to know one). He put me through the typical cardiology routine that is probably all too familiar to most of you by now-EKG, echo, stress imaging study, blood work, etc. The tests all turned up fine, but I was still tormented by these irregular beats. Those of you who know me understand that I really prefer to treat medical problems as naturally as possible. For years, I have been diligent about following a regimen of daily exercise and a very healthy diet (thanks in large part to my wife Joan). I also take CardioTabs and a statin. However, my cardiologist friend suggested I try a beta blocker on an "as needed" basis for the palpitations. I was a bit skeptical because these medicines are notorious for causing side effects like fatigue, but I was distressed about the issue so I gave it a try. Well, within 24 hours of starting a low dose of Carvedilol, the palpitations virtually vanished. I was relieved and grateful to have a safe and effective pharmacologic solution to the problem that, while not life-threatening, was still very upsetting. This episode gave me a new, very personal appreciation for the power of modern pharmacology. The life expectancy in America was 47 when my great grandfather, Dr. Henry O'Keefe, practiced as a pioneer physician on the plains of North Dakota 100 years ago. Despite his best efforts, he had little to offer many of his sickest patients beyond comfort measures and reassurance. This time of year he would arrive at a farmstead in a horse-drawn sleigh and in his small black leather bag, he carried not a single medication that could save lives. Today, life expectancy in America is about 80 years, and scientists who study the issue attribute most of these gains in longevity to the vast and potent armamentarium of pharmacologic agents we have at our disposal that can eradicate infections, reverse heart disease, and treat and usually cure cancer, among other things. Yet, the prescription drug industry today has a serious image problem. Indeed, a recent public opinion poll about the trustworthiness of various American business sectors placed the pharmaceutical industry near the bottom of the list; just one step above the tobacco and oil industries. Some of this concern is warranted, but too often worried patients abruptly stop their drugs without consulting with their health care providers, which sometimes leaves them with dangerously uncontrolled medical problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Most of drugs we commonly use in cardiology have been so extensively tested that we have a high level of confidence in their safety and effectiveness. If you have concerns about your medications, please discuss them with your health care providers. We can either reassure you about their safety, or find an alternative treatment for you. I like to emphasize the importance of taking advantage of the best of both worlds. It is essential that you do your best to take care of yourself by following our advice about lifestyle and diet. But often that is not enough to keep you completely healthy. When you decide to go it alone and shun prescription drugs, you are depriving yourself of one of the powerful advantages of living in the 21st century. With respect to health issues, most people cruise pretty smoothly along the road of life in their youth, but by middle age the ride can start to get bumpy. Ignore major issues and by the time you get into the decades of your 50s or 60s (and sometimes even sooner) the wheels may just come off and your life will grind to a halt. By using the natural therapies first and adding the high-tech modern therapies when needed, we can almost always get you back up to speed and ready for the long haul. The future will hold even more spectacular pharmacologic fixes. Be smart about working with your health care providers to use the therapies you may need to ensure your ride along the road of life is as smooth and trouble-free as possible. |
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