There is a reason why high blood pressure or hypertension is called the silent killer. Most people are simply unaware that they have it. In general there are no symptoms until damage to the heart, brain, kidneys, or legs occurs. It is essential to control hypertension before it leads to this damage.

In that vein, a new study from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) shows that physicians are prescribing some drug combinations that are less than ideal in treating hypertension.

• Dr. Karen Tu, MD, MSc, is a Scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Toronto