Be Careful Using Heart Herbal Medicines

Roseous.com - Be Careful Using Heart Herbal Medicines. When sick, sometimes Indonesian people first rely on herbal or natural medicine. Not only minor illnesses that are believed to be cured with herbal medicine, serious diseases such as heart disease are also believed to be able to be overcome with heart herbal medicines. In fact, many patients combine medical treatment with heart herbal medicines to recover quickly.

Herbal medicines are often considered safe because they are made from natural ingredients. However, alternative medicines such as heart herbal medicines do not necessarily comply with the drug laws and are carefully examined. Therefore, the safety and side effects of heart herbal medicines are unpredictable. Especially if taken together with medical heart medications.

Be Careful Using Heart Herbal Medicines

Various Heart Herbal Medicines and Their Effects on the Body

Here are some herbal heart remedies that are thought to be unsafe if taken together with medical heart medications:

• John's wort

Usually used to treat depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. However, according to several studies, this herbal medicine can reduce the effectiveness of antiarrhythmic drugs digoxin, blood pressure-lowering drugs, and cholesterol-lowering drugs in statins.

• Garlic

This heart herbal medicine is used to reduce bad cholesterol or LDL, blood pressure, thin the blood, and treat atherosclerosis. However, allicin in garlic that can thin the blood is actually suspected to increase the risk of bleeding if taken with warfarin (a blood thinning drug). In addition, these substances are also dangerous for people with heart attacks or who have already done heart valve replacement.

• Ephedra (ma-huang)

The herbal medicine for the heart of ephedra (ma-huang) can cause strokes, heart attacks, seizures, and arthritis. This can occur in healthy adults who use this product to suppress appetite or lose weight. Herbal products that contain ephedra can also interfere with the performance of heart medications, such as antiarrhythmic drugs and blood pressure-lowering.

• Green tea

Green tea is believed to be able to reduce weight and cholesterol, and prevent cancer. However, the vitamin K content in this heart herbal medicine is thought to counteract the effects of warfarin blood thinning drugs. Green tea can also interfere with the work of blood pressure-lowering drugs and medications for heart disease.

• Ginger

Who would have thought that ginger has been used for centuries to treat various diseases, it could actually increase the risk of bleeding if taken along with warfarin heart medications.

• Ginseng

Ginseng is commonly consumed as an herbal medicine because it is believed to reduce bad cholesterol or LDL and blood pressure. However, if used excessively, ginseng can actually increase blood pressure and reduce the effects of warfarin heart medications and blood pressure-lowering calcium channel blockers.

• Other heart herbal medicines

Other herbal medicines, such as alfalfa, dong quai, bilberry, fenugreek, and ginkgo biloba, are thought to increase the risk of bleeding when combined with anti-clotting drugs.

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Natural doesn't always mean safe. If you are considering the use of alternative medicine to cure heart disease, it is advisable to discuss the matter first with a cardiologist. Especially if you intend to take heart herbal medicine along with treatment that has been prescribed by a doctor.

Instead of treating, it will be better if heart disease can be prevented. How to stop smoking, exercise at least 30 minutes a day, control high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, reduce salt intake and saturated fat, reduce and manage stress, get enough sleep, and maintain ideal body weight, so you do not need to take heart herbal medicine.