Patient preferences for novel therapy: an N-of-1 trial of garlic in the treatment for hypertension.
The authors used the N-of-1 clinical trial methodology to obtain insights about a patient's preference for garlic for the management of his hypertension. The 61-year-old man received garlic, 500 mg by mouth three times a day (3 weeks), or identical placebo (3 weeks) in three treatment pairs. While the patient was taking garlic the mean systolic blood pressure decreased by 2 mm Hg (95% confidence interval 0.4 to 4.7, p < 0.05), and the diastolic blood pressure decreased by 2.4 mm Hg (95% confidence interval 0.4 to 4, p < 0.025). The treatment effect of garlic was small, but the patient believed continuing garlic for the management of his hypertension was justified.
Estrada
C A
CA
Department of Internal Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan 48202.
Young
M J
MJ
D001794:Blood Pressure; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005737:Garlic; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D010946:Plants, Medicinal