As Use of Herbal Remedies Soars, Patients Taking These and Cardiovascular Medications May be at Heightened Risk of Dangerous, Po
Posted Feb 02 2010 6:08pm
More and more Americans are turning to herbal remedies to help manage chronic conditions or promote general health and wellness. But many of today’s popular herbal supplementsincluding St. John’s wortgingko bilobagarlic and even grapefruit juice can pose serious risks to people who are taking medications for heart diseaseaccording to a review article published in the Feb. 92010issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The use of these products is especially concerning among elderly patients who typically have co-morbiditiestake multiple medications and are already at greater risk of bleedingaccording to authors.
“Many people have a false sense of security about these herbal products because they are seen as ‘natural,’” said Arshad JahangirM.D.cardiologist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and senior author of the study. He added that more than 15 million Americans reportedly use herbal remedies or high-dose vitamins. “But ‘natural’ doesn’t always mean they are safe. Every compound we consume has some effect on the bodywhich isin essencewhy people are taking these products to begin with,” he added.
In addition to their direct effects on body functionthese herbs can interact with medications used to treat heart diseaseeither reducing their effectiveness or increasing their potencywhich may lead to bleeding or a greater risk for serious cardiac arrhythmias.
More and more Americans are turning to herbal remedies to help manage chronic conditions or promote general health and wellness. But many of today’s popular herbal supplementsincluding St. John’s wortgingko bilobagarlic and even grapefruit juice can pose serious risks to people who are taking medications for heart diseaseaccording to a review article published in the Feb. 92010issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The use of these products is especially concerning among elderly patients who typically have co-morbiditiestake multiple medications and are already at greater risk of bleedingaccording to authors.
“Many people have a false sense of security about these herbal products because they are seen as ‘natural,’” said Arshad JahangirM.D.cardiologist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and senior author of the study. He added that more than 15 million Americans reportedly use herbal remedies or high-dose vitamins. “But ‘natural’ doesn’t always mean they are safe. Every compound we consume has some effect on the bodywhich isin essencewhy people are taking these products to begin with,” he added.
In addition to their direct effects on body functionthese herbs can interact with medications used to treat heart diseaseeither reducing their effectiveness or increasing their potencywhich may lead to bleeding or a greater risk for serious cardiac arrhythmias.