How accurate are GPs at integrating evidence into prescribing decisions?

Abstract

EVIDENCE IN THE CONSULTATIONA 56-year-old attends his GP to discuss his newly diagnosed hypertension and asks the GP about the benefits and harms of taking long-term hypotensive medication … How accurate are we (GPs, healthcare professionals and other specialists) in providing this information?GPs are unlikely to have fingertip evidence knowledge for management decisions, but if we don't, should we? Treadwell et al 1 highlight GP inaccuracy in numerical assessment of benefits and harms of longterm medications used in several long-term conditions.