Question
1. A 44-year-old pharmacologist comes to the clinic for a routine follow-up of his hypertension. Current medications include lisinopril and atenolol. The physician tells the patient about a novel agent for hypertension that has recently been approved. A randomized-controlled trial found that use of this agent was associated with a 1 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure compared to lisinopril (p = 0.04). The patient asks the physician why bother mentioning the drug for his care if the reduction in blood pressure found in the study was so insignificant. Which of the following is the most appropriate response by the physician? A) “Even though seemingly marginal, there was significance in this study.” B) “I’d like to discuss with you all potential options for your care.” C) “I think this agent could be better for you.” D) “The novel drug is significantly better so should replace lisinopril in your regimen.” E) “While clinically significant, the difference is not statistically significant as you’ve noted.”