Document Detail


Herbal product use by older adults.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20970932     Owner:  NLM     Status:  In-Process    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
In the past two decades, there has been an exponential increase in the use of medicinal herbal products around the world. In various countries, these products are classified and promoted as foods, not pharmaceuticals, which facilitate their availability on the international market without requiring a medical prescription. Since older adults (OAs) are an important and growing sector of the population in many countries, it is important to know the prevalence of their herbal product use, since many OA take herbs along with diverse quantities of prescription and over the counter medications. For this reason, it is important to be aware of the possibilities of health complications due to the concomitant use of diverse medications and herbs. OA are an especially vulnerable population, since many of the human body's physiological activities, such as renal and hepatic detoxification and clearance usually decrease with age. Additionally, information on certain herbal products is either misleading, or simply unavailable. These products may indeed be a therapeutic option, but some can be used properly only under the guidance of a health professional. Those OA taking combinations of various medications and herbal supplements are also more at risk to experience some sort of herb-drug interactions. This publication reviews selected articles related to the use of herbal products by OAs and mentions the various patterns of use and health implications of the concomitant use of herbal products and prescription medications. This topic is currently not fully understood and further research is warranted.
Authors:
Armando González-Stuart
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Maturitas     Volume:  68     ISSN:  1873-4111     ISO Abbreviation:  Maturitas     Publication Date:  2011 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-12-27     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7807333     Medline TA:  Maturitas     Country:  Ireland    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  52-5     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Affiliation:
University of Texas at El Paso, 1100 N Stanton, Suite 301, El Paso, TX 79902, United States. asgonzalez1@utep.edu
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