Therapeutic Inertia

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The term therapeutic inertia describes the failure of health care providers to initiate or intensify therapy when it is clearly indicated by established guidelines. The term has largely been applied to the management of blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, by primary care physicians who recognize the need for their patients to control these conditions but fail to act sufficiently to achieve the guideline recommended therapeutic targets. Despite clearly articulated, evidence-based, clinical guidelines, some physicians fail to translate this knowledge into practice. We believe that therapeutic inertia plays a significant role in delaying the adoption of many new treatments.

Most practitioners function within a “personal comfort zone” of prescribing behavior, being reluctant to take unnecessary risks with new drugs. There is a natural “learning curve,” where clinicians need to learn the side effect profiles and characteristics of new drugs, as well as to be assured that the drugs perform as promised.

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