Antithrombotic drugs are used extensively for the prevention and treatment of thrombosis in conditions such as stroke, AF and VTE. Patients, who are started on these drugs, usually take them for years. When patients seek alternative treatments like TCM to co-manage their conditions, they are not aware that potential drug-herb interactions may occur. These potential drug-herb interactions may lead to toxicities like bleeding or a reduction in the efficacy of the antithrombotic drugs.
As healthcare professionals, it is important that we are equipped with some knowledge and be able to advise and counsel patients on the potential risks of drug-herb interactions.
Through this short lecture, we will discuss on potential risks of drug-herb interactions and their impact on toxicities and efficacies. We will also look at how to elicit information with regards to TCM usage from patients.
