title: Prescription medication use in a chiropractic training clinic: Cause for vigilance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The concurrent use of CAM therapies with traditional allopathic medical practice is increasing. This study investigates the concurrent use of prescription medication in patients attending a chiropractic student teaching clinic for the first time. The need for practitioners to be aware of the side effects of prescribed medication patients are using is discussed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study of 1008 new patient consultations at a university chiropractic teaching clinic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  549 prescription medications being used by 330 patients were included in the analysis. A total of 104 individual medications were identified of which 69 listed headache as a potential side effect of their use. 57 of 116 (49%) of patients seeking care for the treatment of headache were concurrently using these medications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients presenting to the university chiropractic teaching clinic may be seeking care for symptoms attributed to prescription medication. The requirement that practitioners be aware of the side effects of prescribed medication patients are using is raised.
authors: RMIT University, Department of Health Sciences, Plenty Rd, Bundoora 3083, Australia. Electronic address: barry.draper@rmit.edu.au.
authors: Barry
authors: B
authors: Draper
authors: RMIT University, Department of Health Sciences, Plenty Rd, Bundoora 3083, Australia. Electronic address: nereo.rigoni@rmit.edu.au.
authors: Nereo
authors: N
authors: Rigoni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026882:Manipulation, Chiropractic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Chiropractic; Cross-sectional study; Medication