title: Frequency and co-prescription pattern of Chinese herbal products for hypertension in Taiwan: a Cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chinese herbal products (CHPs) have been frequently used among patients with chronic diseases including hypertension; however, the co-prescription pattern of herbal formulae and single herbs remain uncharacterized. Thus, this large-scale pharmacoepidemiological study evaluated the frequency and co-prescription pattern of CHPs for treating hypertension in Taiwan from 2003 to 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  The database of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) outpatient claims was obtained from the National Health Insurance in Taiwan. Patients with hypertension during study period were defined according to diagnostic codes in the International Classification of Disease Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification. The frequencies and percentages of herbal formula and single herb prescriptions for hypertension were analyzed. We also applied association rules to evaluate the CHPs co-prescription patterns.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The hypertension cohort included 154,083 patients, 123,240 patients of which (approximately 80 %) had used TCM at least once. In total, 81,582 visits involving CHP prescriptions were hypertension related; Tian-Ma-Gou-Teng-Yin and Dan Shen (Radix Salvia Miltiorrhizae) were the most frequently prescribed herbal formula and single herb, respectively, for treating hypertension.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study elucidated the utilization pattern of CHPs for treating hypertension. Future studies on the efficacy and safety of these CHPs and on drug-herb interactions are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No.6, W. Sec., Jiapu RD., Puzi City, Chia-Yi County, 61363, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pei-Rung
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No.6, W. Sec., Jiapu RD., Puzi City, Chia-Yi County, 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 of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No.6, W. Sec., Jiapu RD., Puzi City, Chia-Yi County, 61363, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chu
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 of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, No.6, W. Sec., Jiapu RD., Puzi City, Chia-Yi County, 61363, Taiwan. smbepigwu77@gmail.com.|Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, 83301, Taiwan. smbepigwu77@gmail.com.|Kidney and Diabetic Complications Research Team, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chia-Yi County, 61363, Taiwan. smbepigwu77@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ching-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D010045:Outpatients; D008517:Phytotherapy; D055656:Prescriptions; D011364:Professional Practice; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza; D013624:Taiwan; D032070:Uncaria
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C000589486:tianma gouteng; C028972:dan-shen root extract; C087631:gou-teng