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Bridget M. Kuehn

JAMA. 2007;297:799.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Although many seniors use alternative therapies such as herbal supplements, few discuss these practices with their physicians, according to a telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of 1559 individuals aged 50 years or older conducted by AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (http://www.aarp.org/research/health/prevention/cam_2007.html).

Of the individuals surveyed, 69% of those using alternative therapies did not discuss such use with their physician. This lack of communication is of concern, in part, because some herbal supplements may have adverse effects or dangerous interactions with drugs. For instance, ginkgo biloba (taken to improve mental function) has been linked to spontaneous bleeding and may interact with anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents.

When asked why they did not talk to their physicians about alternative medicine use, 42% said their physicians never asked, 30% said they did not know they . . . [Full Text of this Article]