Presentation at the HFSA 12th Annual Scientific Meeting emphasizes the need
for heart disease patients to exercise caution and be aware of the
potential dangers associated with the use of naturoceuticals
TORONTO, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Patricia Uber, Pharm. D.,
Assistant Professor of Medicine at University of Maryland presented
"Naturoceuticals and Heart Failure: Innocuous or Harmful?" at the 12th
Annual Scientific Meeting of the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA).
This presentation focused on the benefits and adverse effects associated
with the use of naturoceuticals, which are considered herbal or nutritional
supplements. Uber also briefly discussed the possible effects of using
over-the-counter medications (i.e., nonprescription). The scientific
meeting, which began Monday at the Metro Toronto Convention Center in
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, also featured new research, advances in treatment
and guidelines for care, debates, and late breaking clinical trials.
"A large gap remains in the realm of research and awareness surrounding
naturoceutics and their potential to do both harm and good to heart failure
patients," said Dr. Barry Greenberg, HFSA President, and Professor of
Medicine, and Director, Advanced Heart Failure Treatment Program,
University of California, San Diego. "This year's meeting raises the
concern that without proper information exchanged between doctors and
patients, preventative medicine has the potential to be dangerous and
counter-productive."
During her presentation, Dr. Uber stressed the importance of patients
sharing with their health care provider all medications or supplements
being taken, whether prescription, naturoceutics, or OTC's so the health
care provider can reasonably determine if any of the naturoceutical or
nonprescription drugs are interacting with other prescribed medications
resulting in compromised care of the patient. Uber gave the example that
Ginseng, a popular herbal supplement, can actually cause fluid retention
when used with other heart medications. Knowing this information can help
the health care provider correctly assess the patient to help determine the
cause(s) of their heart failure and how best to treat the patient.
Dr. Uber also stressed the need for providers to educate their patients
about the use of naturoceuticals. "With the use of naturoceutical
substances on the rise, it is important for providers to inform patients
that while they are not against the use of these nonprescription
medications, they do need to know if patients are using naturoceuticals."
She added that the FDA is beginning to look more closely at the
naturoceutical industry and consider ways to determine how to monitor their
use and possible effects when used in conjunction with prescribed drugs for
heart failure as well as other diseases.
For a complete list of annual meeting sessions or for details on
attending the conference, call (617) 226-7198 or visit http://www.hfsa.org and
click on Annual Scientific Meeting. There is no registration fee for
accredited journalists. Interview areas will be available on-site in
addition to a fully-staffed press room with phone and internet
accessibility.
About Heart Failure
Heart failure is a progressive condition in which the heart muscle
becomes weakened after it is injured, most commonly from heart attack or
high blood pressure, and gradually loses its ability to pump enough blood
to supply the body's needs. Many people are not aware they have heart
failure because the symptoms are often mistaken for signs of getting older.
Heart failure affects from 4.6 to 4.8 million individuals in the United
States. Demographic and clinical evidence strongly suggest the prevalence
of heart failure will increase throughout the next decade. Ten to 15 years
ago heart failure was considered a "death sentence;" however, recent
advances in treatment have shown that early diagnosis and proper care in
early stages of the condition are key to slowing, stopping or in some cases
reversing progression, improving quality of life, and extending life
expectancy. For more information on heart failure, please visit
http://www.abouthf.org.
About the Heart Failure Society of America
The Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) is a nonprofit educational
organization, founded in 1994 as the first organized association of heart
failure experts. Today HFSA has over 1,700 members and provides a forum for
all those interested in heart function, heart failure research and patient
care. The Society also serves as a resource for governmental agencies (FDA,
NIH, NHLBI, CMS). The HFSA Annual Scientific Meeting is designed to
highlight recent advances in the development of strategies to address the
complex epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic issues of heart failure.
Additional information on HFSA can be found at http://www.hfsa.org.
SOURCE Heart Failure Society of America
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Related links:
http://www.abouthf.org
http://www.hfsa.org
CONTACT:
Kaitlyn Siner, +1-617-226-7192, or cell
+1-401-339-0954, ksiner@bellpottingerusa.com; or Ben Hendricks,
+1-617-226-7183, or cell +1-919-522-2978,
bhendricks@bellpottingerusa.com, both of Bell Pottinger USA for
Heart Failure Society of America
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