title: Use of traditional Chinese medicine in patients with hyperlipidemia: A population-based study in Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chinese herbal products (CHPs) are commonly used in patients with hyperlipidemia in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Because hyperlipidemia and related disease are common issues worldwide, this study analyzed the prescription patterns and frequencies of CHPs for treating patients with hyperlipidemia in Taiwan.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has become popular as a therapy for controlling symptoms in patients with hyperlipidemia. This study aimed to analyze the prescription patterns of TCM for patients with hyperlipidemia in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population was recruited from a random-sampled cohort of 1,000,000 people from the National Health Insurance Research Database between 2003 and 2009. We identified 30,784 outpatient visits related with hyperlipidemia diagnosis and collected these medical records. Association rules of data mining were conducted to explore the co-prescription patterns for Chinese herbal products (CHPs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most commonly prescribed herbal formula for hyperlipidemia treatment was Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang (16.1%), and Shan Zha (Crataegi fructus; 25.0%) was the most commonly prescribed single herb. The most commonly prescribed combination of an herbal formula and a single herb was Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang and Dan Shen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae), and the most commonly prescribed combination of couplet herbs was Dan Shen and Shan Zha.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang is the most frequently prescribed formula and is typically prescribed with Shan Zha, Dan Shen, and He Shou Wu for patients with hyperlipidemia. Clinical trials are warranted in future research to investigate the effects of the CHPs in terms of safety and efficacy and in particular to evaluate potential interactions with conventional treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chia-Yi 61363, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Meng
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Department for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chia-Yi 61363, Taiwan; Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei 10055, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Tai
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.affiliation: Department for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chia-Yi 61363, Taiwan; Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei 10055, Taiwan; Center of Excellence for Chang Gung Research Datalink, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yao-Hsu
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei 10055, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei 10055, Taiwan; Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 10055, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pau-Chung
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chia-Yi 61363, Taiwan. Electronic address: cherrychu36@cgmh.org.tw.
authors.forename: Yen-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
keywords: Chinese herbal products; Hyperin (PubChem CID: 5281643); Hyperlipidemia; NHIRD; Prescription pattern; Traditional chinese medicine; Triterpenic acids (PubChem CID: 451674); Ursolic acid (PubChem CID: 64945)