Nurse educational activity on non-prescription therapies in patients with chronic heart failure.
BACKGROUND
Notwithstanding the polypharmacy required for heart failure therapy, many patients use non-prescription therapies, including alternative medicines, herbal remedies, integrators and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.


OBJECTIVE
Non-prescription therapies could interfere with heart failure therapy, both promoting non-compliance and through pharmacological interferences. Heart failure nurses, in order to plan their educational activity, need to known about the use of therapies other than prescription.


METHODS
The use of non-prescription therapies was assessed by a structured interview in 153 chronic patients with heart failure.


RESULTS
Only 15.7% patients exclusively used medicines prescribed by their physicians. Alternative medicine use was not frequent (5.8%), herbal remedies (21.3%) and integrators (20.9%) were more used; OTC drugs were most common, with 75.8% use. Patients were often unaware of possible interaction with heart failure therapies, and seldom informed physician of use.


CONCLUSIONS
Advice about drugs avoidance is emphasized by heart failure guidelines, and is part of the nurse educational activity. More attention should be paid to OTC drug assessment and education since their use is common.
Dal Corso
Elena
E
Divisione Clinicizzata di Cardiologia - Azienda Ospedaliera Istituti Ospitalieri Verona - Piazzale Stefani 1 - 37126 Verona, Italy.
Bondiani
Anna Lisa
AL
Zanolla
Luisa
L
Vassanelli
Corrado
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D019338:Polypharmacy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012646:Self Administration / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012651:Self Medication / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013041:Specialties, Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D004366:Nonprescription Drugs