Herbs and alternative therapies in the hypertension clinic

• Published in: American Journal of Hypertension Vol. 14; no. 9; pp. 971 - 975
• Main Author: Mansoor, George A
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.09.2001; Oxford University Press; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: alternative medicines; Ambulatory Care Facilities; Antihypertensive Agents - metabolism; Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Clinical manifestations. Epidemiology. Investigative techniques. Etiology; Complementary Therapies - psychology; Dietary Supplements - classification; Drug Interactions; ephedra; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - drug therapy; Hypertension - metabolism; Hypertension - psychology; Interviews as Topic; licorice; Medical sciences; Plants, Medicinal - classification; Plants, Medicinal - metabolism; St. John's wort; Treatment Outcome; United States - epidemiology; United States; Hypertension; St. John’s wort; alternative medicines; licorice; ephedra; Human; Plant; Treatment; Toxicity; Treatment efficiency; Alternative medicine; Cardiovascular disease; Drug interaction; Review; Supplementation
• ISSN: 0895-7061; 1879-1905; 1941-7225
• DOI: 10.1016/S0895-7061(01)02172-0

The use of alternative therapies, herbs, and supplements occurs at a very high rate among patients attending a variety of health care settings. Such therapy may cause significant interactions or effects on hypertension and other cardiovascular disorders and needs to be considered by clinicians. In this brief review, we highlight several commonly used alternative therapies that may have a clinical impact in the hypertensive patient. Several problems hinder our complete awareness of these effects. These problems include patients not informing physicians about alternative treatment or herbal use, the lack of consistent scientific standards for the bioactivity of many herbals or supplements, and the multiple names that each bioactive substance is sold under. Specific questioning regarding herbals and alternative therapies in the hypertension clinic is therefore needed. Herbals including ma huang, St. John’s wort, yohimbine, garlic, and licorice all may cause important consequences in the hypertensive patient. Added care is needed in monitoring the use and effects of herbal and alternative therapies in the hypertensive population.