Abstract
To determine the prevalence of herbal preparation use among patients presenting to an urban teaching hospital ED. A prospective anonymous survey on herbal preparation use was performed. Consecutive, acutely ill or injured adult (> or = 18 years old) ED patients were offered the survey over a 1-month period. The survey also asked for information related to patient age, ethnicity, gender, employment, education, cigarette smoking history, ethanol consumption, use of illicit drugs, chief complaint, and HIV status. Of 2,473 eligible subjects, 623 (25%) participated. The overall reported prevalence of herbal preparation use among the participants was 21.7%. Women were more likely to use herbal preparations than men (28.5% vs 17.2%, p = 0.013). Prevalence rates in different ethnic populations were: whites, 18.2%; Hispanics, 13.9%; blacks, 26.4%; and Asians, 36.8%. Asians had a significantly higher use rate than the other ethnic groups (p = 0.039). Neither HIV positivity, educational level, employment status, nor age was significantly associated with herbal preparation use. The most commonly reported herbal preparations were goldenseal tea, garlic, and ginger. Several of the herbal preparations reported as used by patients in this study have been associated with severe systemic toxicity in the medical literature. Although the survey response rate was low, the prevalence of herbal preparation use among acutely ill or injured patients presenting to this urban ED remains significant. A directed history toward specific herbal preparation use may provide relevant pharmacologic information and uncover cases of herbal-preparation-induced toxicity.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.