Prescription pattern of Chinese herbal products for hypertension in Taiwan: a population-based study.

Abstract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been commonly used in Asia country. The aim of this study is to analyze the utilization of TCM among hypertensive patients in Taiwan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The use of TCM for primary hypertensive patients was evaluated using a randomly sampled cohort of 1,000,0s recruited from the National Health Insurance Research Database in 5-year period from 2006 to 2010.

RESULTS:

Overall, 49.7% (n=42,586) of primary hypertension utilized TCM and 12.1% (n=5132) of them used TCM for the treatment of hypertension. Among the top 10 most frequently prescribed herbal formulae, Tian-Ma-Gou-Teng-Yin, Gout-Teng-San, Liu-Wei-Di-Huang-Wang and its derivatives were found to be the most common herbal formulae prescribed by TCM doctors for the treatment of hypertension in Taiwan.

CONCLUSION:

This study showed the utilization pattern of Chinese herbal product in patients with hypertension. Further researches and clinical trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy of these Chinese formulae or its ingredients in treating hypertension.

• Authors: Der-Shiang Tsai, Yuan-Shiun Chang, Tsai-Chung Li, Wen-Huang Peng
• Journal: Journal of ethnopharmacology (J Ethnopharmacol) Vol. 155 Issue 3 Pg. 1534-40 (Sep 29 2014) ISSN: 1872-7573 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 25091464 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antihypertensive Agents
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Antihypertensive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Hypertension (drug therapy)
• Male
• Medicine, Chinese Traditional
• Middle Aged
• Phytotherapy
• Practice Patterns, Physicians'
• Taiwan
• Young Adult