Homeopathy in emergency medicine.
BACKGROUND
Use of homeopathy is not frequently reported in critically ill patients. We describe our experience treating such patients homeopathically in the emergency room, on the wards, and in the intensive care unit of conventional hospitals in Austria and Israel.


METHODS
We describe a case series of patients treated in the ER for multiple casualty incidents, two case reports of remarkable cures in the ICU, and two RCTs demonstrating the efficacy of homeopathy in septic and intubated patients.


RESULTS
A case series documents favorable results in homeopathic treatment of patients in the ER and wards after multiple casualty incidents. Two case reports narration e remarkable homeopathic cures to imminently terminal illnesses. Finally, homeopathy was demonstrated effective as compared with placebo in improving long-term survival in severely ill septic patients and in hastening extubation ICU patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our report suggests that homeopathy may be applicable even for critically ill patients. We discuss the obstacles encountered, including a dearth of tools for successful homeopathic prescription in these situations, suspicion and lack of cooperation by patients and conventional colleagues, and the highly suppressive nature of concomitant conventional therapies. We suggest the development of algorithms and other tools to aid rapid homeopathic prescription in critical care patients and discuss the importance of familiarizing physicians and medical students with homeopathy in order to facilitate communication and cooperation between these complementary branches of medicine.
Oberbaum
Menachem
M
Center for Integrative Complementary Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. oberbaum@netvision.net.il
Singer
Shepherd Roee
SR
Friehs
Helmut
H
Frass
Michael
M
D000368:Aged; D000545:Amanita; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000628:therapy*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006705:Homeopathy; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009145:Mushroom Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D010348:Patient Care Team; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy
D008419:Materia Medica; D010936:Plant Extracts