The Use of Complementary Medicines by Inpatients at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney

Aim: To survey the use of complementary medicines (CMs) by patients admitted to St Vincent's Hospital Sydney and identify potential interactions between CMs and other prescribed or over‐the‐counter medications. Method: Patients seen by clinical pharmacists in St Vincent's Hospital Sydney over a 3‐week period in May 2000 were surveyed during the routine medication history. Patients taking CMs had their medication history recorded on the data collection form. Potential for interactions between the CM and the prescribed or over‐the‐counter medications was assessed. Results: Five hundred and eleven patients had their medication history taken, 61 (12%) were taking 156 CMs at the time. Ninety‐one (58%) agents had been taken by 39 (64%) patients for more than one year. Patients ranged in age from 25 to 100 years with a median of 57 years. There was an even sex distribution, 30 females and 31 males. A high proportion (74, 47%) of the CMs had been self‐prescribed and 25 (41 %) patients took 103 (66%) CMs without the knowledge of their general practitioner. Twenty‐two (36%) patients continued taking a total of 47 (30%) CMs in hospital. Twenty‐four (51%) of the continued CMs were not charted. Eleven (18%) patients were also taking 20 medicines that could potentially interact with the CMs they were taking. Six patients were taking more than one potentially interacting substance. Conclusion: Use of CMs by patients admitted to St Vincent's Hospital Sydney appears significant and warrants routine inclusion in the patient medication histories. Potential drug interactions were found to occur. Pharmacists need to be aware of potential interactions and have access to information about interactions between CMs and other medicines.