The medication of heart patients are at risk for potentially dangerous interactions, if they also herbs such as Ginkgo biloba, Saint John St. John's Wort and garlic supplements the analysis shows.
Researchers with the Mayo Clinic identifies products, herbal and alternative that should be avoided by patients with heart disease.
They claim that the products could cause problems when frequently prescribed drugs, low blood pressure, cholesterol control, heart rhythm stabilize or prevent the formation of blood clots.
Analysis of the research is in Figure 9 February of the journal of the American College of cardiology.
Researchers Arshad Jahangir, MD, not tells WebMD, patients often doctors on claims say they take because they acknowledge no damage.
"Many people think the natural is synonymous with safe," he said. “” “”. Many of these funds were used over the centuries, but they are not sure of the current time, if it patients, which many other medicinal uses. »
Older patients more at risk
Jahangir said, that the risk of particularly large in older patients with heart, that for other chronic illnesses and already have an increased risk of bleeding often drugs.
Bleeding, was one of the most commonly cited risks identified that reduce by researchers at the Mayo, along with interaction or increase the resistance of prescription drugs.
Some examples of what they contain:
* Sjw, typically treat depression, anxiety and sleep disorders is used, in some studies has been shown to the effectiveness of drug arrhythmia Digoxin and reduce blood pressure and Statins cholesterol regulation.
* Alfalfa fixes, Dong Quai, bilberry, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, and Ginkgo biloba have been by researchers such as increase the risk of bleeding in combination with the often prescribed administered drug Coumadin (warfarin). Ginseng and green tea were as reducing the effects of Coumadin.
* The product banned herbal ephedra (MA Huang) is strokes, heart attacks, seizures and death of cardiac arrhythmia in healthy adults, who have used the product, to promote energy or to lose weight.
Is not all interactions, identified by the participating researchers of funds on the basis of plants or replacement.
Jahangir says, take medication for the heart with grapefruit juice is a common cause of the toxicity of the drug.
For nearly two decades, researchers have known that grapefruit juice can increase doses of certain drugs to toxic amounts by inhibiting the drugs breaks a key enzyme in the intestine.
He says that patients on cholesterol-lowering Statin medications with grapefruit juice with blood can Statin levels, the three-to be found four times higher than expected.
"I think that it is a good idea for all those, to avoid the drugs, grapefruit juice, because the impact as long as 24 hours can take," he said.
Mayo researchers conclude that their a clear need for increased regulation to protect of the public exists before herbal supplements and others who may be affected.
A spokesman for the leader of the dietary supplement industry trade group was highly critical of the claim and the analysis of research in General, is released today in a written statement.
Management Board for nutrition Vice President responsible for the science and industry regulatory Douglas MacKay, ND, wrote that the analysis is contained a "biased, poorly written, and artificial attack on herbal supplements," "generalizations radical, often not supported by the relevant citations and abundant factual errors."
He throws for the recognition that researchers do not have the latest changes in the Federal law, the dietary supplement manufacturers report serious adverse effects to the FDA require.
MacKay according to full in the first year of the Act in force, that the FDA 1,080 side-effects on the use of vitamins and minerals, and herbal teas, weight loss and sports related. A total of 672 pages were as serious.
"In the same year FDA received more 526 000 reports of adverse events related to drugs and biological products, RT 300 000, the Ernst, were seen, the almost 50 000 dead,"he wrote."".