In their paper on the value of antihyper-tensive drugs (Jan/Feb 07), David Cutler and colleagues address the treatment of the most important chronic disease in America, as hypertension is the common denominator that contributes to poor outcomes for patients with coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, renal disease, and diabetes. A number of factors cause poor blood pressure control, many of which Cutler and colleagues address. They opine that policies such as reduced cost sharing and pay-for-performance incentives for physicians are opportunities to advance blood pressure control. I do not disagree, but these policies alone will not solve the problem.
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