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Conventional Medicine (conventional + medicine)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	83%

Selected Abstracts

The Perceived Efficacy and Risks of Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Conventional Medicine: A Vignette Study,

JOURNAL OF APPLIED BIOBEHAVIORAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2001
Adrian Furnham
Participants (N= 148), including CAM users and general practitioner (GP) patients who had never used CAM treatments, read a series of 6 vignettes describing 3 medical conditions being treated using orthodox and CAM methods. As expected, results indicated that both CAM users and GP patients were more likely to agree that their own treatments were effective and were associated with fewer generic risks. Contrary to expectation, both CAM and GP patients were more likely to agree that orthodox treatments were associated with more actual risks than were CAM treatments, and all orthodox treatments for each medical condition were perceived as having more side effects than CAM treatments. [source]

Placebo-controlled trials in Western phytotherapy and conventional medicine mostly of poor quality

FOCUS ON ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH, Issue 4 2007
Article first published online: 14 JUN 2010
[source]

Preferences for CAM or conventional medicine in elderly individuals

FOCUS ON ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH, Issue 2007
A Büssing
[source]

Is acupuncture in addition to conventional medicine effective as pain treatment for endometriosis?

FOCUS ON ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH, Issue 2006
A randomised controlled crossover trial
[source]

Private and panel patients of complementary and conventional medicine , how well are they informed about the practitioners' qualifications?

FOCUS ON ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH, Issue 4 2003
C Peiffer
[source]

Anthroposophical medicine: a research based extension to conventional medicine

FOCUS ON ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH, Issue 1 2003
G Douch
[source]

A Self-Report Measure of Clinicians' Orientation toward Integrative Medicine

HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 5p1 2005
An-Fu Hsiao
Objective. Patients in the U.S. often turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and may use it concurrently with conventional medicine to treat illness and promote wellness. However, clinicians vary in their openness to the merging of treatment paradigms. Because integration of CAM with conventional medicine can have important implications for health care, we developed a survey instrument to assess clinicians' orientation toward integrative medicine. Study Setting. A convenience sample of 294 acupuncturists, chiropractors, primary care physicians, and physician acupuncturists in academic and community settings in California. Data Collection Methods. We used a qualitative analysis of structured interviews to develop a conceptual model of integrative medicine at the provider level. Based on this conceptual model, we developed a 30-item survey (IM-30) to assess five domains of clinicians' orientation toward integrative medicine: openness, readiness to refer, learning from alternate paradigms, patient-centered care, and safety of integration. Principal Findings. Two hundred and two clinicians (69 percent response rate) returned the survey. The internal consistency reliability for the 30-item total scale and the five subscales ranged from 0.71 to 0.90. Item-scale correlations for the five subscales were higher for the hypothesized subscale than other subscales 75 percent or more of the time. Construct validity was supported by the association of the IM-30 total scale score (0,100 possible range, with a higher score indicative of greater orientation toward integrative medicine) with hypothesized constructs: physician acupuncturists scored higher than physicians (71 versus 50, p<.001), dual-trained practitioners scored higher than single-trained practitioners (71 versus 62, p<.001), and practitioners' self-perceived "integrativeness" was significantly correlated (r=0.60, p<.001) with the IM-30 total score. Conclusion. This study provides support for the reliability and validity of the IM-30 as a measure of clinicians' orientation toward integrative medicine. The IM-30 survey, which we estimate as requiring 5 minutes to complete, can be administered to both conventional and CAM clinicians. [source]

The use of alcohol and medicines among Australian adults

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 6 2007
Wendy Swift
Abstract Objective: To collect Australian population-based data on concurrent use of conventional medicines, complementary/alternative medicines (CAM), and alcohol. Method: National survey administered in December 2005 to 816 Australian adults. Results: 71% of respondents reported recent (last 24 hour) use of conventional medicine or CAM. 24% had recently consumed alcohol and conventional medicine, 17% alcohol and CAM and 13% alcohol and both types of medicines. Use of blood pressure and arthritis medicines was significantly more likely among daily drinkers than less than daily drinkers and non-drinkers. Conclusions: Concurrent use of medicines and alcohol is common, particularly among older people. Implications: Use of alcohol may have an impact on the stability of chronic illness managed by medicines or other types of interactions with medicines, such as sedation. Health care professionals should routinely inquire about such use to be able to incorporate appropriate safety strategies into clinical management. [source]

Professional practices and experiences with complementary medicines: a cross-sectional study involving community pharmacists in England

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE, Issue 3 2007
Joanne Barnes associate professor in herbal medicines
Objective As retailers of complementary medicines (CMs), pharmacists are well placed to advise consumers on the safe and effective use of these products; where CMs are available in pharmacies, pharmacists should be well informed about such products. This study explored the extent to which CMs are available in community pharmacies in England, and examined pharmacists' experiences, professional practices and training with regard to these products. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted, involving a structured questionnaire posted to community pharmacists. Coded follow-up mailings were sent to non-responders after 2 and 4 months, and a reminder telephone call made after 3 months. Setting All community pharmacists in six areas (Devon, Cornwall, Bradford, Leeds, Manchester, Stockport) of England (total n = 1337). Key findings The response rate was 66.5%. Overall, 92% of respondents reported that CMs (excluding vitamins/minerals) are sold in the pharmacy in which they practise, 81% had received requests from patients/consumers for specific CMs in the previous year, and 58% had recommended CMs. Around 70% of respondents rarely/never asks about CMs use when counter-prescribing conventional medicines or when receiving reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with conventional medicines. In total, 40% of respondents had undertaken training in complementary/alternative medicine (CAM). Pharmacists who had undertaken training were more likely to ask patients/consumers specifically about use of CMs when counter-prescribing conventional over-the-counter (OTC) medicines (37.0% versus 23.4%, respectively; ,2 = 17.4; P = 0.0003) and when receiving reports from patients/customers of suspected ADRs associated with conventional (prescribed or OTC) medicines (35.6% versus 23.8%, respectively; ,2 = 13.0; P = 0.0003). Conclusion CMs are widely available in pharmacies in England, and pharmacists interact with users of these products. An opportunity exists for pharmacists to embrace a professional role as expert advisors on CMs. However, pharmacists' training, professional practices and competence with respect to CMs first need to improve. [source]

Interactions of Valeriana officinalis L. and Passiflora incarnata L. in a patient treated with lorazepam

PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 12 2009
María Consuelo Carrasco
Abstract There is an increasing interest in the health risks related to the use of herbal remedies. Although most consumers think that phytomedicines are safe and without side effects, interactions between complementary alternative and conventional medicines are being described. The aim of this clinical case report is to highlight the importance of the safe use of herbal remedies by providing a clinical interaction study between pharmaceutical medicines and herbal medicinal products. The case of a patient self-medicated with Valeriana officinalis L. and Passiflora incarnata L. while he was on lorazepam treatment is described. Handshaking, dizziness, throbbing and muscular fatigue were reported within the 32 h before clinical diagnosis. The analysis of family medical history ruled out essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, Wilson's disease and other symptom-related pathologies. His medical history revealed a generalized anxiety disorder and medicinal plant consumption but no neurological disorder. Appropriate physical examination was carried out. An additive or synergistic effect is suspected to have produced these symptoms. The active principles of Valerian and passionflower might increase the inhibitory activity of benzodiazepines binding to the GABA receptors, causing severe secondary effects. Due to the increase in herbal product self-medication, the use of herbal remedies should be registered while taking the personal clinical history. Multidisciplinary teams should be created to raise studies on medicinal plants with impact on medical praxis. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

The use of alcohol and medicines among Australian adults

Clenbuterol marketed as dietary supplement

BIOMEDICAL CHROMATOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2008
Maria K. Parr
Abstract In several studies it has been demonstrated that products containing pharmaceutically active ingredients are marketed as dietary supplements. Most of these products contain anabolic steroids. Recently products for weight loss containing active drugs have also appeared on the market. In the present case a healthy male ordered the product ,Anabolic burner' via the Internet. The product was received from a German dispatcher and paid by bank transfer to a German bank account. After ingesting one tablet he reported tremor and delivered a urine sample. This urine was found to contain 2 ng/mL of clenbuterol utilizing LC-MS/MS analysis. Additionally the product itself was analyzed with GC-MS for clenbuterol, yielding a content of about 30 µg per tablet. The beta-2 agonist clenbuterol is only legally available on prescription and is classified as prohibited doping substance in sports. The present case for the first time confirms the presence of clenbuterol in a dietary supplement. It again demonstrates the common problem with products on the supplement market, where non-licensed pharmaceuticals and doping substances are easily available. The ingestion of these products containing additions of therapeutic drugs can lead to side effects and/or interactions with conventional medicines. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]