Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T18:37:58.640Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Current management of patients taking herbal medicines: a survey of anaesthetic practice in the UK

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2005

A. G. McKenzie  and
K. R. Simpson
A. G. McKenzie
Affiliation:
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Department of Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Edinburgh, UK
K. R. Simpson
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Medical Teaching Organisation, Edinburgh, UK
Get access

Extract

Summary

Background and objectives: Increasing numbers of patients taking herbal medicine products are presenting for anaesthesia and surgery. Anaesthetists need to consider the perioperative implications of herbal medicines and should, therefore, have some knowledge of this subject. Methods: A postal questionnaire survey was sent to a random 5% of practising members of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland residing in the UK, to identify attitudes, practice and knowledge regarding herbal medicines. Results: From 341 questionnaires there were 221 replies, a 65% response rate. Ninety per cent stated that they seldom or never asked patients about herbal medicine usage, yet 65% felt that there could be potentially harmful effects of herbal medicines in the perioperative period. There was a very poor level of knowledge with respect to the current management of 10 well-known herbal medicines. However, 75% agreed that information about perioperative usage of herbal medicines is important, and 77% felt that herbal medicines should be in the undergraduate medical curriculum. Reading was the usual source of herbal medicine product information. Most (82%) felt their knowledge of herbal medicine products and the implications in patient care were inadequate. Conclusions: This sample of anaesthetists require education on herbal medicines. Suggestions for remedial action are given.

Keywords

MEDICINE, HERBALINTRAOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONSPOSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONSHERB–DRUG INTERACTIONSEDUCATION, MEDICAL, undergraduate, graduate, continuing
Type
Original Article
Information
European Journal of Anaesthesiology , Volume 22 , Issue 8 , August 2005 , pp. 597 - 602
Copyright
© 2005 European Society of Anaesthesiology

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ernst E. The role of complementary and alternative medicine. BMJ 2000; 321: 1133–1135.Google Scholar
Ernst E. Risks associated with complementary therapies. In: Dukes MNG, Aronson JK, eds. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs, 14th edn. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier Science B.V., 2000: 1649–1651.
House of Lords Select Committee. Report on role of complementary and alternative medicine. http://www.chiro.org/alt_ med_abstracts/FULL/House_of_Lords/CHAPTER_V-D.html
Herbal Medicines. Pharmaceut J 1994; 253: 75.
De Smet PAGM. Adverse effects of herbal remedies. Adv Drug React Bull 1997; 183: 695–698.Google Scholar
Barnes J, Anderson LA, Phillipson JD. Herbal interactions. Pharmaceut J 2003; 270: 118–121.Google Scholar
Hodges PJ, Kam PC. The peri-operative implications of herbal medicines. Anaesthesia 2002; 57: 889–899.Google Scholar
Cheng B, Hung CT, Chiu W. Herbal medicine and anaesthesia. Hong Kong Med J 2002; 8: 123–129.Google Scholar
Sabar R, Kaye AD, Frost EAM. Perioperative considerations for the patient on herbal medicines. Middle East J Anesthesiol 2001; 16: 287–314.Google Scholar
Ang-Lee MK, Moss J, Chun-Su Y. Herbal medicines and perioperative care. JAMA 2001; 286: 208–216.Google Scholar
Eisenberg DM, Kessler RC, Foster C, Norlock FE, Calkins DR, Delbanco TL. Unconventional medicine in the United States. Prevalence, costs, and patterns of use. N Engl J Med 1993; 328: 246–252.Google Scholar
Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Ettner SL et al. Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990–1997. Results of a follow-up national survey. JAMA 1998; 280: 1569–1575.Google Scholar
McKenzie AG. Herbal medicines in the United Kingdom. Anaesthesia 2003; 8: 597–598.Google Scholar
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Kava-kava and hepatotoxicity. Curr Prob Pharmacovigil 2003; 29: 8.
Lennox PH, Henderson CL. Herbal medicine use is frequent in ambulatory surgery patients in Vancouver Canada. Can J Anaesth 2003; 50: 21–25.Google Scholar
American Society of Anesthesiologists. What You Should Know About Your Patients' Use of Herbal Medicines and Other Dietary Supplements. http://www.asahq.org/patientEducation.htm.
Zollman C, Vickers A. ABC of complementary medicine: what is complementary medicine? BMJ 1999; 319: 693–696.Google Scholar