Perioperative Risks of Dietary and Herbal Supplements

Background: Patients undergoing surgery often use Dietary and Herbal Supplements (DHS). We explored the risk of DHS–drug interactions in the perioperative setting. Methods: In this cross-sectional prospective study, participants hospitalized for surgery completed a questionnaire regarding DHS use. We used pharmacological databases to assess DHS–drug interactions. We then applied univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to characterize patients at risk for DHS–drug interactions. Results: Of 526 interviewees, 230 (44%) patients reported DHS use, with 16.5% reporting using DHS that could potentially interact with anesthesia. Twenty-four (10%) patients used DHS that could potentially interact with antithrombotic drugs taken perioperatively. The medical files of three patients included reports of intraoperative bleeding. The patient files of only 11% of DHS users documented DHS use. Conclusions: DHS use poses a significant health risk due to potential interactions. Guidelines should emphasize perioperative management of DHS use.