Complementary and Alternative Drugs Use among Preoperative Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study in Italy

Abstract

Complementary and alternative drugs (CADs) are widely used in preoperative patients and may lead to potential interactions and adverse reactions. The aim of our study is to evaluate the prevalence and the predictors of CADs use among preoperative patients using data from an Italian survey. This cross-sectional study, which enrolled 478 patients (response rate: 83.5%), was carried out in three Tuscany hospitals (Italy). The prevalence of CADs use was 49.8%: 233 out of 238 participants used herbal products and/or dietary supplements. Valeriana officinalis was the most reported product (19.4%). According to univariate analysis, users were commonly identified among middle-aged or older patients; unadjusted ORs were 2.1 (95% CI: 1.3–3.3) for patients aged 48–69 years, and 3.0 (95% CI: 1.9–4.7) for those of 70–95 years, when compared with individuals aged 18–47 years. Except for education and gender, adjusted estimates showed consistent results with univariate analyses: direct association was observed with higher education, and—although not significantly—with female gender. The high prevalence of CAD use in preoperative period could be suggestive of a certain risk of adverse effects due to CADs interactions. A careful medical history of CADs consumption should be ascertained before surgery.

Assessment of Consumer Perceptions in Ankara (Turkey) Toward Herbal Medicinal Products: A Survey Analysis in the Etimesgut District

“…Several survey studies have pointed out the outcome that herbal medicines are usually used particularly by women with higher education (20)(21)(22), whereas some studies revealed no correlation between the educational status and HMP use (23,24). Nevertheless, we have not obtained a clear finding from our own study.…”

The prevalence of herbal medicine use among surgical patients in Trinidad

“…Factors that may have influenced the level of use include social influences, economic status, age, religion, gender, accessibility to health care, ethnicity and availability of alternate health care. 15 A. sativum was used by 22.9% of patients in the UK study, but total use was low. Hospital 3 also covers a larger geographical area and includes a more rural community, so ease of access to health care and cost may have been a factor contributing to the higher prevalence of herbal medicine use.…”

“…13,15 In terms of the types of herbs used, we reported a high level of use (74%) of A. sativum. Factors that may have influenced the level of use include social influences, economic status, age, religion, gender, accessibility to health care, ethnicity and availability of alternate health care.…”

“…4,11 Tsen et al, 12 in Massachusetts, found only 22% of pre-surgical patients used herbal medicine, compared with 39.2% in California, 13 and 4.8% in Reading, UK in 2001. 14 In Italy in 2010, Lucenteforte et al 15 reported herbal medicine use in 49.8% of preoperative patients. A 2001 study conducted by the same researcher looked at herbal medicine and alternative medicine use among surgical patients at Hospital 2, which found a much higher prevalence (73%) of herbal medicine use than that reported in this study.…”

Komplementer terápiás gyógymódok megítélése a perioperatív ellátásban dolgozó egészségügyi szakdolgozók között

“…A komp lementer terápiás gyógymódokkal kapcsolatos pozitív attitűd betegek és orvosok között is jellemzően kapcsol ható a fiatal és középkorú, magasan képzett hölgyekhez [25][26][27][28]. Svédországban az egészségügyi dolgozók 55,8%a tanulna szívesen CAMt [29].…”