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Robert B. Taylor, MD
Bowman Gray School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC

JAMA. 1980;244(12):1317.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

The report by the HDFP Cooperative Group presents important evidence in favor of SC of hypertension but raises important issues concerning the influence of life-style change. The report cites a 17% lower five-year mortality for the SC group as compared with the RC group. However, the former group received not only medication but limited counseling concerning weight control, diet, and smoking.

Health promotion is a social force that promises to have profound influence on medical care in the future.¹ Epidemiologic studies have shown that health practices can bring a dramatic decrease in mortality. A 45-year-old American man performing six or seven specific health practices has an 11-year greater life expectancy than if he adheres to three or less; the increase in longevity for a 45-year-old woman is seven years.² By contrast, all of the new drugs and scientific advances from 1900 to 1970 have increased . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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