(February 22, 2010 - Insidermedicine)

Patients are more likely to accept a "no" to a request for a specific medication if their doctor remains sympathetic to their point of view, according to research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Here are some tips to help you prepare for a doctor's visit:

•    Write down any questions you want to ask

•    Be prepared to list all the medications, vitamins, or supplements you are taking

•    Write down all the information, advice, and instructions your doctor gives you

Researchers from the University of California, Davis in Sacramento analyzed audio transcripts of visits made between patients and physicians in which the patient requested an antidepressant medication and the physician denied the request. These "patients" were actually insured, middle-aged women who were trained to report symptoms of insomnia, fatigue and either lower back strain or carpal tunnel syndrome and then to request an antidepressant drug, even though these symptoms are not a clear sign of the presence of depression.

Among 199 requests for antidepressants among the women posing as patients, the request was denied 44% of the time. Overall, 63% of the physicians denied the request by discussing with the women why they were requesting these drugs, referring them to a mental health professional, or offering an alternative diagnosis. Nearly one-third of physicians took a biomedical approach, such as ordering tests or prescribing sleep aids. Another 6% simply flat out refused the request. Patients were most satisfied with the visit when the physician took an approach that relied on their point of view.

Today's research offers strategies for physicians not to bow to pressure from their patients to prescribe a treatment that might not be the best option for them.