Mr. Chan is a 60-year-old man with hypertension. During today's office visit, his blood pressure is noted to be 122/78 mm Hg. The rest of his history and physical examination are unremarkable. He mentions that, in addition to his antihypertensive medication, he uses a teaspoon of hot pepper sauce in a glass of warm water daily to help "clean my blood and lower the pressure. I feel much better when I take it."

Your most appropriate response is to:

A. Advise Mr. Chan that there is no evidence of healthful effects of hot pepper sauce.
B. Ask Mr. Chan to stop the hot pepper sauce use until you can examine its contents.
C. Inform Mr. Chan that this practice can result in serious gastrointestinal complications.
D. Explore what Mr. Chan means by "clean my blood."

The most appropriate response is to advise Mr. Chan that there is no evidence of healthful effects of hot pepper sauce. While hot pepper sauce may have some potential health benefits, such as improving digestion and boosting metabolism, there is no scientific evidence to support its use in treating hypertension or cleaning the blood. It is important to rely on evidence-based treatments for hypertension, such as medication and lifestyle changes.