06/01/19 MANY DRUGS ARE NOT LIFESTYLE CHOICES

MANY DRUGS ARE NOT LIFESTYLE CHOICES

I was sorry to see such important drugs as Zyprexa, Zoloft, and Prozac included in a report on ''lifestyle'' drugs (''The new era of lifestyle drugs,'' Cover Story, May 11). I have a mentally ill relative, and I assure you that these drugs can be a lifeline for many such people. I hope their development continues, given the limitations of many of today's drugs.
Claiming that 90% of patients' requests for antidepressants are honored by physicians minimizes the relief that these drugs can bring. After the medication is administered and has brought the person into a range where traditional treatment can help, it is then appropriate to seek psychotherapeutic help.

Jeff Pearlman
Endicott, N.Y.

You too readily accept the pharmaceutical industry propaganda that impotence, memory loss, anxiety, and weight-loss drugs are merely ''lifestyle'' matters. The happy-face pill on the cover reinforces this view and makes light of peoples' afflictions. These pills can be abused, it's true. But impotence, obesity, serious memory loss, and the like are serious health concerns to people who suffer from them.

Michael Salwen
Coral Gables, Fla.

Your writers must be young, unusually healthy, and lacking in empathy. Why not also include cataracts, macular degeneration, multiple sclerosis, and schizophrenia on your list? After all, lots of blind people and people with MS live productive and satisfying lives, and the streets of New York are full of untreated schizophrenics.
As a 71-year-old arthritic with three major joint replacements, I am insulted by the idea that arthritis might be considered a lifestyle condition. Distinctions between ''treatments'' and ''enhancements'' are obvious only in the most trivial examples, such as growth hormone therapy for short people. While treatments prevent, cure, or otherwise ameliorate a pathological condition, most also enhance the quality of life. If a treatment perchance makes me feel better, does this mean it won't be covered by my insurance?

Jacob C. Stucki
Kalamazoo, Mich.