Many cardiac patients are failing to disclose complementary medicine (CM) use for fear of disapproval by their health professional, research shows.
An Australian perspective published in the Medical Journal of Australia, said health professionals needed to routinely ask patients about their use of CMs, particularly those with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
The research found up to 42 per cent of patients with CVD used CMs, with around 21 per cent taking herbal supplements.
Patients with CVD commonly took multivitamins and minerals (34 per cent), calcium (22 per cent), vitamin E (20 per cent), and vitamin C (14 per cent).
The most popular herbs used included mint or lemon balm (11 per cent), nettle (eight per cent), green tea (seven per cent), echinacea (six per...
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