Top Tip:

If you are ever concerned about a treatment option, one of my favorite statistics is...

NNT = Number-needed-to-treat

The NNT tells us how many people need to receive this treatment, for just ONE person to achieve the desired outcome.

For example:

The NNT high blood pressure to prevent 1 death = 125 people for 5 years!

Meaning: you need to treat 125 people with prescription drugs for 5 years to prevent 1 death.

But there's more.

The often ignored cousin of NNT

NNH = Number-needed-to-harm

Similarly, NNH tells us how many people need to be given a treatment option to harm 1 person.

To continue with high blood pressure, the NNH is 10.

1 in 10 experienced some side effect resulting in stopping the medication.

Now, I am not saying no one should ever take antihypertensives.

No.

But, these drugs do not provide the same benefit for everyone that takes it.

So, you must be cognizant of what you are trying to achieve...and harms you are trying to avoid.

Thennt.com