Co-ingestion of herbal medicines and warfarin.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A large proportion of patients use herbal remedies with a potential to interact with prescribed drugs. Such interactions can be dangerous, particularly if the therapeutic window of the prescribed drug is small, as with warfarin.

Aims

Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of the use of herbal medicines by patients taking warfarin (co-ingestion).

Design of study

Postal questionnaire.

Setting

General practices in the South West of England.

Method

Thirty-five general practices in Devon and Somerset identified 2600 patients taking warfarin and sent postal questionnaires to them.

Results

One thousand, three hundred and sixty usable responses were received (response rate = 54.2%). One or more of the specified herbal remedies thought to intera

SUBMITTER: Smith L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1266203 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature