Communication key to blending Eastern and Western medicine

As Eastern medicine meets Western prescription drugs, communication is vital to prevent harmful drug interactions.

For example, Ephedra or Ma Huang, an herbal weight loss product, was banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after a professional baseball player died during 2003 after consuming the product.

"You have to know what you are doing. You have to be able to work with your physician to let them know," said Jim Evans, an independent contractor who works at the Allopathic and Integrative Healing Arts Center.

Under the overview of a physician, a team of alternative health professionals works at the center to provide patients with comprehensive, integrated medical treatments.

Ephedra has been used safely for many years, but people with complications such as high blood pressure should not use it, Evans said.

"I would absolutely agree that it is important to talk to your doctor about all the medicines you are taking," said Dr. Tom Weber, a physician at Memorial Hospital's urgent care clinic.

Certain medicines such as Vitamin E can interfere with blood thinning and Ma Huang can raise your blood pressure and your pulse, he said.

Yet alternative medicine is finding its place in health care.

"There are some things that Western medicine just can't fix," Evans said. "I think that some physicians are starting to look at other ways to help their patients -- why we get into this field of health care is to help people. Our goal is to be able to marry the different approaches for the betterment of the patient."

And while Weber is not opposed to natural medicines -- "I don't think conventional medicine is the only way to go" -- because of the sheer number of alternative medicines, the chance of any doctor knowing everything about what you are taking is slim.

Weber said he keeps a PDA or physician desk reference for herbal medicines available to determine if a drug interaction might occur.

But, since many people don't know the names of the medicines they are taking, he suggests keeping a list and the dosages on a business- sized card.

Weber said that people can search the Internet and find a program that will cross reference medications to determine whether there will be an interaction between natural medications and prescription medicines.

But despite the availability of information, it appears that patients are not keeping their doctors informed.

According to a survey conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and AARP, almost two-thirds of people age 50 or older are using some form of complementary or alternative medicine, yet less than one-third are talking about it with their medical providers.

The most common reasons why: their physicians never asked, they did not know they should discuss alternative medicines and there was not enough time during their office visits.

"The reason people don't mention it is because they don't consider it a medication," Weber said. "Most people if you ask them would consider medication something which is prescribed by a doctor or it is for an illness."

He also said people don't think to mention over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin or Sudafed to their doctors. The prescribed medicine most forgotten is birth control.

Evans said it is less common now, but some people won't mention that they are seeking alternative medicine treatment because they don't want to be ridiculed by their doctors.

"Some people may think it is my body and I'm going to do what I want to and it doesn't really matter," he said.

Evans said that with more dialog between the Eastern and Western medicine providers, barriers will start to crumble, creating a better marriage of the two systems.

For safety of the patient, open communication is important in both realms.

"If you don't tell us you are on certain medications, then we might prescribe an herbal formula that may have a negative reaction between the pharmaceuticals and the herbs," Evans said. "It is the patient's responsibility to tell everything that is going on to their health care practitioner or doctor."

Copyright 2008 Dolan Media Newswires
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