Published in:
Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research article
Herbal medicine use by surgery patients in Hungary: a descriptive study
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2015
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Background
The popularity of non-conventional treatments, especially the consumption of herbs is showing an increasing tendency all over the world. The consumption of herbal medicines might cause several complications during perioperative care.
Methods
The survey was conducted at the First Department of Surgery of Semmelweis University and focused on the demographics of patients consuming herbal medicines who had undergone elective surgery between July 1st 2014 and February 28th 2015. A one-page questionnaire, that the patients filled in individually and anonymously, was used. The response rate was 17.3 %.
Results
Out of the 390 patients who filled in the questionnaire, 7.2 % (28 patients) used herbal medicines, 3.6 % (14 patients) of them two weeks prior to their hospitalization. The other 3.6 % (14 patients) took herbal medicines sometime in the past. The majority of those who have ever consumed herbs are women (18/28), have completed secondary or tertiary education (23/28), more than half of them suffer from tumorous diseases and only a quarter of them (7/28) informed their physician about their use of herbal medication of their own accord.
Conclusions
Attention must be paid to the exploration of herb consumption habits of surgery patients during the preoperative examinations in order to avoid potential side effects, complications or drug interactions.