As a non CP I am intrigued by these various descent SOPs. I was in a 737NG yesterday which went for fast descent overall (about 25 mins from start of descent from FL380 I guess to touchdown - 8000/25 = 320 I note), it had been assigned a very long more or less straight in approach, with speedbrakes deployed for at least the last five minutes right up to the point of first stage of flaps and slats.
I have over the last year or two also noticed a number of complaints by afflicted aircrew in the medical forum here on PPRuNe asking about repressurisation problems with their ears.
Now are descent profiles like that usual or unusual thesedays? And are you saying that such descents are believed or found to be less economical than at first thought?