[oaktrout]

Seconding your view points. If a patient dies from a hypertension related cause (say stroke), and the patient has not followed the strict low salt diet the doctor recommended, does the doctor pay for that? At what point does the doctor stop seeing patients who do not follow their recommendations to the exact letter?

[R0b0t1]

I know you're framing it as patient choice, but it would incentivize doctors to actually want to research new solutions instead of give stale advice that doesn't seem to work.

[chriscross]

Do you really think that doctors don't keep up on education? All doctors are required to do continuing education every year to keep up to date on the latest advances. Most I know go to national conferences to learn more about their speciality. Then you have the portion of doctors that conduct research and actively advance medicine. Most doctors I know (anecdotal, I know) are constantly striving to do more, to learn more because they care. Doctors know how much responsibility they have to help people and even save lives.

[R0b0t1]

> Do you really think that doctors don't keep up on education?

No, I know they don't.

[oaktrout]

The advice works if patients listen (which is patient choice). Reducing salt intake and losing weight are simple ways to lower blood pressure and they are also effective.