title: Commonly used botanicals and vitamins and their impact on blood pressure and blood loss in surgical gynaecology patients.
abstract: We wanted to determine botanical and vitamin use in surgical gynaecology patients at UHWI and their effects on blood pressure and blood loss. The study was prospective and observational. Before elective surgery, we evaluated 133 patients on the use of botanicals and vitamins. We measured pre- and intraoperative blood pressure and intraoperative blood loss to determine any association with botanical use. Botanicals were used by 68.4% of patients with a 45.1% use within 2 weeks before surgery, p = 0.002). Users were older (p = 0.024) and had more chronic illnesses (p = 0.003). They also had higher mean preoperative diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.016) but no statistically significant difference in intraoperative blood pressures. Blood loss was greater with recent use of certain anticoagulant botanicals. We conclude that the use of certain botanicals may increase blood pressure or increase surgical bleeding and patients and doctors should be aware of their risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of the West Indies, Mona.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Allen-Davis
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frankson
mesh_terms: D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins