Dietary supplements and bleeding

Knowledge levels of doctors and nurses working in surgical clinics about nutrients and food supplements, a multicentre descriptive study

“…Doctors and nurses should have a high level of knowledge and awareness of the complications and side effects of nutrients and food supplements in the surgical period, drug interactions [ 101 ] and the duration of discontinuation in the preoperative period [ 35 , 39 , 44 ]. However, studies conducted with doctors in the literature emphasise that doctors do not have a sufficient level of knowledge [ 47 , 48 ].…”

“…This section was developed by the researcher based on the literature [ 4 , 13 , 24 , 28 , 29 , 32 , 35 , 42 , 44 , 50 – 74 ].…”

“…This section was developed by the researcher based on the literature [ 31 , 32 , 35 , 38 – 42 , 44 , 45 , 50 , 52 , 75 ]. This section consists of a total of 61 questions about when to discontinue nutrients and food supplements (garlic, onion, lemon, nettle, parsley, red pepper (capsicum), chia seed, celery, rosemary, sage, thyme, St. John's wort, turmeric, ginger, hawthorn, aloe vera, black tea, green tea, linden, lavender, chamomile, echinacea, calendula, clove, dandelion, ginseng, ginkgo biloba, cherry, blueberry, horse chestnut, liquorice, valerian, red clover, anise seed, ephedra, kava, fenugreek, black cohosh, burdock, cat's claw, mistletoe, hops, passionflower, bitter melon, devil's claw, coenzyme Q10, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B12, vitamin D, fish oil, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, folic acid, alpha-lipoic acid, L-arginine, sports supplements, probiotics, weight-loss products) in the preoperative period.…”

“…Nutrients and food supplements alter the efficacy of anticoagulants and antiplatelets [ 28 ], increase the efficacy of antihypertensive and antidiabetic drugs [ 29 ], interact with corticosteroids, central nervous system depressants, opioid analgesics [ 30 ] and anaesthetics [ 31 , 32 ] and increase the efficacy of sedatives and tranquillisers [ 13 ]. These supplements may also cause prolonged sedation [ 31 , 33 , 34 ], delayed recovery from anaesthesia [ 15 , 29 ], bleeding [ 15 , 31 , 33 – 35 ], coagulation disorders [ 34 , 35 ], cardiac problems [ 29 , 34 ], fluid-electrolyte imbalances [ 34 , 36 ], hypoglycaemia [ 15 , 34 ], affecting the need for analgesics after surgery [ 31 ], transplant rejection, irreversible side effects such as kidney [ 29 ] and liver toxicity [ 29 , 37 ] and even death. To prevent complications, side effects, and drug interactions, it is recommended to stop taking nutrients and food supplements two weeks prior to surgery [ 31 , 32 , 35 , 38 – 45 ].…”

“…These supplements may also cause prolonged sedation [ 31 , 33 , 34 ], delayed recovery from anaesthesia [ 15 , 29 ], bleeding [ 15 , 31 , 33 – 35 ], coagulation disorders [ 34 , 35 ], cardiac problems [ 29 , 34 ], fluid-electrolyte imbalances [ 34 , 36 ], hypoglycaemia [ 15 , 34 ], affecting the need for analgesics after surgery [ 31 ], transplant rejection, irreversible side effects such as kidney [ 29 ] and liver toxicity [ 29 , 37 ] and even death. To prevent complications, side effects, and drug interactions, it is recommended to stop taking nutrients and food supplements two weeks prior to surgery [ 31 , 32 , 35 , 38 – 45 ]. Awareness and knowledge level of doctors and nurses are very important in order to prevent, recognise and treat complications related to nutrients and food supplements [ 25 – 27 , 46 ].…”