BOSTON--Most prescription drug users also taking non-vitamin dietary supplements (NVDS) fail to inform their doctors of the supplementation, according to a new joint study from Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The study results were published in the Oct. 9 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine (166, 18:1968-74, 2006).
Using data from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey, researchers analyzed factors associated with NVDS and prescription medication use over a 12-month period. In the United States, 21 percent of adult prescription drug users also took NVDS, most commonly echinacea, ginseng, ginkgo, garlic, and glucosamine chondroitin. Prescription medication users with menopause and chronic gastrointestinal disorder were far more likely to use NVDS, while those with coronary heart disease and history of myocardial infarction were least likely to use NVDS. Other factors associated with increased use of NVDSs by prescription medication users included being female, being Hispanic, having more years of education, living in the Western states, lacking medical insurance and having chronic conditions. However, 69 percent of adults using both prescription medication and NVDS did not inform their physicians of the supplementation.
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