Heart Lung Circ. 2016 Jul;25(7):712-8. doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2016.01.017. Epub 2016 Feb 16.
- 1
- Cardiac Surgery Department, CHU Angers, France. Electronic address: emdalmayrac@chu-angers.fr.
- 2
- Cardiac Surgery Department, CHU Angers, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Complementary and alternative medicines are developing at a growing rate but their use in the hospital setting is little known, ignoring risk or benefit in practice. The objectives of the study were to quantify the prevalence of complementary and alternativemedicines used by patients admitted to a cardiac surgery department.
METHODS:
Patients and staff at the Cardiac Surgery unit of Angers University Hospital (France) were surveyed regarding their modality of complementary and alternative medicines use, between April 01, 2013, and April 18, 2014, by means of an anonymous questionnaire.
RESULTS:
Of 154 patients included in the study, 58% used a complementary and alternative medicine at least once in their lifetime, 38% during the preceding year, and 14% between the consultation and surgery. In all, 71% used them as a complement to their conventional medical treatment. Of those who used a complementary and alternative medicine during the year of their surgery procedure, only 29% informed their physicians and paramedical staff about it.
CONCLUSIONS:
Complementary and alternative medicines use among patients admitted to cardiac surgery units is common. Yet there is a real lack of knowledge regarding these health practices among physicians and paramedical staff.
Copyright © 2016 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS:
Aromatherapy; Complementary therapies; Phytotherapy; Thoracic Surgery.; Traditional medicine
