Biomaterial Database

Complimentary and alternative medicine use among patients starting warfarin. 2005

Nadine A Ramsay, and Martin W Kenny, and Graham Davies, and Jignesh P Patel

School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, East Sussex, UK.

The use of complimentary and alternative medicines (CAM) among the UK population is on the increase. For patients requiring warfarin therapy, it is important to maintain an adequate and safe level of anticoagulation. As some forms of CAM can interact with warfarin, it is imperative that any patient considered for warfarin, is asked about their use of CAM. Our report describes the incidence and type of CAM usage among patients about to start or recently commenced on warfarin therapy attending our outpatient anticoagulant clinic. All patients attending clinic for the first time were seen by a pharmacist. A retrospective analysis of the pharmaceutical care plans for all patients seen during 2003 were analysed regarding the degree of CAM usage. Of 631 care plans reviewed, 170 (26.9%) patients were taking some form of CAM. Ninety-nine (58% of all CAM users) were taking a CAM that could interact with warfarin; the commonest forms were cod-liver oil capsules and garlic capsules. We conclude that many patients new to warfarin therapy were significant users of CAM, many of which had the potential to interact with warfarin. By taking a full drug history, potential CAM/warfarin interactions could be avoided.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008517	Phytotherapy	Use of plants or herbs to treat diseases or to alleviate pain.	Herb Therapy,Herbal Therapy
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010347	Patient Care Planning	Usually a written medical and nursing care program designed for a particular patient.	Nursing Care Plans,Goals of Care,Plans, Nursing Care,Care Goal,Care Goals,Care Plan, Nursing,Care Planning, Patient,Care Plans, Nursing,Nursing Care Plan,Plan, Nursing Care,Planning, Patient Care
D010595	Pharmacists	Those persons legally qualified by education and training to engage in the practice of pharmacy.	Clinical Pharmacists,Community Pharmacists,Retail Pharmacists,Clinical Pharmacist,Community Pharmacist,Pharmacist,Pharmacist, Clinical,Pharmacist, Community,Pharmacist, Retail,Pharmacists, Clinical,Pharmacists, Community,Pharmacists, Retail,Retail Pharmacist
D011361	Professional Competence	The capability to perform the duties of one's profession generally, or to perform a particular professional task, with skill of an acceptable quality.	Competence, Professional,Generalization of Expertise,Technical Expertise,Expertise Generalization,Expertise, Technical
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D002807	Chondroitin	A mucopolysaccharide constituent of chondrin. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)
D003060	Cod Liver Oil	Oil obtained from fresh livers of the cod family, Gadidae. It is a source of VITAMIN A and VITAMIN D.	Liver Oil, Cod,Oil, Cod Liver
D004347	Drug Interactions	The action of a drug that may affect the activity, metabolism, or toxicity of another drug.	Drug Interaction,Interaction, Drug,Interactions, Drug