Almost one-half of women older than 65 years of age use herbal therapies to prevent or treat health problems, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing. These women, however, do not always inform their health care providers about this use.
Nurse researchers from the University of Florida at Gainesville said these women are putting themselves at risk of experiencing drug interactions, as they also may take prescription and over-the-counter, or OTC, medications.
Researchers studied 86 women older than 65 years of age and found that 45 percent had used an average of 2.5 herbal products in the past year. These women reported that 85 percent of the remedies were used on a continual basis and for an average of three years. Participants also reported taking an average of 3.2 prescribed medications and 3.8 OTC medications.
Only 41 percent of the participants said they told their health care providers they used the herbal remedies. When they did, they reported only slightly more than one-half of the products they used.
"Health care providers can prescribe conventional medications without the knowledge of their clients’ use of herbal products," said study co-author Clay-dell Horne. "But certain combinations can be unsafe."
For example, said Horne, previous research has shown gingko biloba and ginseng can interact with warfarin—a blood-thinning medication—and hemorrhaging can result when both warfarin and gingko biloba or garlic are used.
Researchers concluded that health care providers need to have better communication with their patients about the herbal products they use to avoid serious complications and prevent ineffective treatment.
