Common Interactions With Herbal Supplements and Prescription Drugs

Herbal supplement use is more common than we think. As health care professionals, we must assess whether each drug that a patient takes is safe and effective. There is a scarcity of strong evidence on which to evaluate the risks and benefits of herbal supplement use. Ideally, randomized controlled trials would determine safety and efficacy. However, many trials involving herbal supplements are not designed appropriately or have little statistical power to apply the results to the general population. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.