Most of us want to do the right thing. This is especially true when it comes to our heart health. We educate ourselves, evaluate risk factors and then take action! We exercise, walk, try to eat right, manage our blood pressure, take steps to lower or maintain cholesterol, and take supplements and vitamins. In other words, we work really hard to be proactive and reduce or eliminate our risk factors for heart disease. What happens when doing the right thing backfires and hurts us instead?
According to a review published by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, new research indicates that some of the common herbal supplements we take (such as ginkgo biloba and St. John’s wort) may have unexpected and unwelcome side effects for those who are already taking medications for heart disease. When taken together, some drugs and herbal supplements may cause the drug to lose its potency. It’s also possible for the exact opposite to happen. Depending on the drug and herbal supplement, the effectiveness of the drug may actually be increased to an unhealthy level. According to the review, the results may lead to serious complications including arrhythmias, heart attacks, excessive bleeding and in some instances, death.
Not everyone agrees with the review. The review was referred to as a “biased, poorly written and contrived attack on herbal supplements” by the Council for Responsible Nutrition. (Reuters) They counter that herbal supplements do benefit our overall health and that many are known to benefit our heart as well.
More and more people are turning to herbal supplements to enhance their overall health. In the United States alone, more than 15 million people take some type of herbal supplement. I’m one of them. I lowered my cholesterol last year using supplements, without taking statins- so the review in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, along with the Council for Responsible Nutrition’s response, is of particular interest to me. What do we do when we have two opposing viewpoints? How do we determine who is “right?” Who do we listen to?
As with the solution to any dilemma, the key is communication. Talk openly and honestly with your doctor about what you are taking. Someone needs to have the “big picture” concerning your overall health. Too many patients don’t disclose and too many doctors don’t ask. Love them or hate them, with 15 million Americans using supplements, they are here to stay- so be smart in your usage. The best practice is to be proactive and take the lead in ensuring that your health care provider is aware of all medications and herbal supplements or vitamins that you are taking.
Drug/Herbal Supplement Discussion Checklist
-Do inform your doctor regarding all medications that you are taking. For example, if you are seeing a cardiologist, make certain he knows if you are taking blood pressure medication, medication for arthritis, etc. Drugs taken for different medical conditions may also interact negatively.
-Do inform your doctor regarding all over-the-counter medications (allergy, Tylenol, cold medicine) that you are taking or take on a regular basis.
-Do inform your doctor regarding all vitamins or herbal supplements that you take.
-Do discuss potential drug and herbal supplement interactions with your doctor.
(Note: I personally recommend discussing all of the above items with your pharmacist in addition to your doctor. I’ve found pharmacists in general to be extremely aware of potential drug interactions.)
-Do inform our doctor if you make any changes to the medications, herbal supplements or vitamins that you are taking.
Until next time, here's wishing you a healthy heart.
Sources:
JoAnne Allen, Herbal Remedies, Heart Drugs Don’t Mix: Review, ABCNews Health, Reuters, 01 Feb 20210, http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=9720984