title: Herbs: where's the harm?
abstract: The increased use of complementary and alternative medicine within our society requires us as professionals to educate our patients and ourselves as to the potential risks of taking herbs and vitamins. Herbs may be natural, but natural does not always equate to safe, and so this article provides a review of the literature and potential risks that herbs pose to surgery. Therefore we should encourage patients and health professionals alike to consider herbs as natural drugs and treat accordingly.
authors.affiliation: University Hospitals, Coventry and Warwickshire, NHS Trust.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abrahaam
mesh_terms: D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative