759 Health News Update

Hypertension is called the silent killer. While there are many medications that can help get blood pressure under control, it can be difficult for a person and her health care provider to find one without distressing side effects. A natural approach uses the DASH diet plus exercise to achieve weight loss as well as lowering blood pressure. How well does it work?
Before any surgery or medical intervention, a patient has to learn about the benefits and risks to give informed consent. What should we know about this process?
Guests: James Blumenthal, PhD, Professor of Medical Psychology at Duke University Medical Center. His research, the ENCORE study, was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (Jan. 25, 2010). The photo is of Dr. Blumenthal.
Eric Kodish, MD, F.J. O’Neill Professor and Chairman of the Department of Bioethics at the Cleveland Clinic. His research was published in Academic Medicine (August 2009).