Herbal Medicines and Perioperative Care

Abstract

During the preoperative evaluation, physicians should explicitly elicit and document a history of herbal medication use. Physicians should be familiar with the potential perioperative effects of the commonly used herbal medications to prevent, recognize, and treat potentially serious problems associated with their use and discontinuation.

Women’s perception of safety and utilization of herbal remedies during pregnancy in a local government area in Nigeria

“…However, herbal remedy may contain substances that may be harmful to the fetus or the baby. Remedies have also been described to have the possibility of interacting with prescribed drugs and anaesthetic agents [12][13][14][15] or cause fetal malformations [16,17] . In fact some authorities have cautioned against the use of almost all herbal remedies during pregnancy [18] .…”

Herbal and alternative medicine: the impact on anesthesia

“…23 • Adverse effects presenting peri-operatively due to the use of herbal medications may not be considered until late in the event process. And even when herbal therapies are considered in the aetiology of an adverse event, the response to standard emergency therapy (cardiovascular support drugs or haemostatic agents) may not be as expected.…”

Perioperative Medication Management

“…On the other hand, prescription medicines are often perceived as artifi cial and therefore less safe, despite rigorous standards from the FDA for dosing and safety. 19 Clinicians must be mindful to specifi cally inquire about herbal preparations and over -the -counter medications as many patients may not even consider these to be " medications. " These agents in general should be discontinued at least 1 week prior to surgery, preferably 2 weeks.…”