Herbal Medications - Issues Related To Their Use - Part II

Herbal Medications - Issues Related To Their Use - Part II is organized by e-EdCredits.

Date Expires: Jul 31, 2023

Course Description:
As discussed in Part I and in the review, hundreds of herbal ingredients are in existence and alone or in combination make up thousands of products that can be purchased by the public without a prescription. The purpose of this article is to inform nurses about some of the medical effects that can be seen with certain products. It is important to remember that a large portion of prescription and non-prescription drugs come from herbs or are derivatives of herbs. Therefore, many herbs can produce a medical effect when taken internally by an individual.

Objectives
• Describe the primary reason for usage and the proposed mechanism of action for Saw Palmetto, Kava Kava, Grape Seed, Cranberry, Valerian Root, Evening Primrose, and Milk Thistle.
• Discuss which herbal products (reviewed in this article) should be used with caution in patients with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and epilepsy.
• State the potential for a drug/herb interaction in those individuals taking certain medications in conjunction with the herbal products discussed in this article.
• Discuss which herbal products (reviewed in this article) should not be used prior to receiving anesthesia and should be avoided by pregnant women.

Additional details will be posted as soon as information is available.