Ad-free. Influence-free. Powered by consumers.
Skip to Main ContentThe payment for your account couldn't be processed or you've canceled your account with us.
Re-activateThat potentially dangerous practice appears to be common, according to an unpublished survey presented at the American Heart Association's annual scientific sessions in Chicago this week. Researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City and Utah State University surveyed 100 patients who took the potent blood-thinning drug warfarin (Coumadin and generic) for an irregular heartbeat, and found that:
• 69 percent also took herbal and other dietary supplements.
• 63 percent did so after consulting sources such as friends or the Internet, not their physician or pharmacist.
• 63 percent said their doctor failed to ask about their supplement use as part of the medication history.
• 73 percent of patients' medical records made no mention of supplement use, even when patients said they told doctors about that use.
Taking the drug with certain common supplements, such as coenzyme Q-10 or glucosamine, is risky because they can change the blood-thinning effect of warfarin, possibly increasing the risk of bleeding, blood clots, or stroke complications, according to the researchers. Other supplements can also interact dangerously with medications, and pose other risks, too, as described in our article on Dangerous Supplements. So tell your doctor about any dietary supplement you take, even occasionally.
You can find out about the safety and effectiveness of supplements and other natural-health products, including how they interact with drugs, under our Natural Health tab.
—Douglas Podolsky, senior editor
—Joel Keehn
Build & Buy Car Buying Service
Save thousands off MSRP with upfront dealer pricing information and a transparent car buying experience.
Get Ratings on the go and compare
while you shop
