ALLHAT education campaign
Executive Summary
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute announces a three year, $3.7 mil. initiative to educate physicians and patients about hypertension findings from the ALLHAT trial. The study's main finding was that generic diuretic chlorthalidone is superior to Pfizer's calcium channel blocker Norvasc (amlodipine) and ACE inhibitors in preventing cardiovascular outcomes. The campaign, funded by NHLBI, will be implemented in collaboration with the National High Blood Pressure Education Program. Approximately 150 physicians in 34 states have completed training to lead educational sessions with physician peers. Educators will conduct one session per month and are expected to reach nearly 30,000 physicians by September 2006. Cardiologists have expressed concern about the translation of ALLHAT findings into clinical practice. (1"The Pink Sheet" June 27, 2005, p. 20)...