Use of Herbal Products in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

OBJECTIVE: Complementary and alternative medicine practices are perceived by patients, both in pre-dialysis and dialysis periods, to be hopeful and promising. In our study we searched herbal product (HP) use in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients before dialysis and during dialysis.

MATERIAL and METHODS: 58 peritoneal dialysis patients who were followed in our nephrology outpatient clinic were included in the study. A questionnaire consisting of objective questions was completed with the patients by a single investigator.

RESULTS: The mean age of 58 patients (30 women) in our study was 53.2±14.7 years and duration of PD was 41.3±8.3 months. Thirteen of the patients were not literate. 19 patients in the pre-dialysis period and 14 PD patients were using herbal products. Five of the patients who used HB in the pre-dialysis period continued using them after the initiation of PD. There was no relationship between the use of HPs and initiation of PD. Various herbs and plants were the most common products used and the most common supply source was sellers of herbs.

CONCLUSION: HP usage is quite common among PD patients even though they are under close supervision by their physicians. Therefore, all patients should be questioned about HP use by physicians and there is a need for increased awareness of the use of HP