According to the National Institutes of Health-National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NIH-NCCAM), the number of Americans using alternative medications increased from 33% in 1990 to approximately 42% in 1997. More importantly, herbal supplements are gaining greater acceptance as the natural alternative to standard pharmacological regimens. Although inadequate data exists concerning drug-drug interactions between supplements and prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications, recent studies identify several herbal products that do interfere with the efficacy of certain drugs such as anticoagulants, cyclosporine, digoxin, antidepressants, and antiretroviral agents. Misconceptions regarding safety and efficacy of these agents are common. The idea that "natural" is synonymous with safety has led many to use herbal supplements in lieu of prescription medications and to delay seeking traditional intervention. Hence, herbal usage across various patient populations as well as under-served and ethnic populations (particularly those that are less likely to receive medical attention) may greatly impact the quality of healthcare among these aforementioned groups. Herbal supplement use may be especially problematic in the elderly because this group tends to use numerous prescription medications and often do not inform health care providers that they are using alternative medications.
Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to identify the effects of various herbs currently marketed for specific ailments; the potential risks or benefits of these herbs; and scientific reference resources available to both consumers and health care providers.
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.