Volume 27, Issue 131, January 2023

Use of alternative medicine among hypertensive patients in Saudi Arabia

Walaa Aladhab¹, Abdullah Bohamad¹, Sawsan Alhashem¹, Turki Alhumam¹, Aisha Bubshait¹, Eman Elsheikh^2,3

¹College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
²Assistant professor of Cardiology, Internal Medicine Department, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
³Cardiovascular department, College of Medicine, Tanta University Hospital, Egypt

ABSTRACT

Introduction: HTN is the most major modifiable risk factor for kidney and cardiovascular disease in terms of quantity, as well as the main risk factor for mortality. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine how frequently alternative medicines were used by hypertensive patients in Saudi Arabia. Methods: Using an electronically distributed questionnaire, crosssectional research of 774 Saudi citizens was conducted. The information gathered covered participant demographics, knowledge and perceptions of HM, and HM usage. Results: A total of 75.5% of participants used the herbal products. Rosella tea (14.3%) and peppermint tea (12.3%) were the two most frequently used. Additionally, 61.2% of participants used alternative medicine: Sports (27.75%) and cupping were the two most popular methods. The main two reasons for using complementary and alternative medicine were to protect their health (38.6) and to decrease their symptoms (33.1). Information was primarily obtained from friends and family (48.9%). The most common side effect of using complementary and alternative medicine was a headache (13%). Conclusion: Most participants had used herbal, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for HTN. CAM use in our population was not influenced by gender, marital status, level of education, nationality, region, or monthly income.

Keywords: Alternative medicine, hypertension, acupuncture, cupping, herbal medicine

Medical Science, 2023, 27, e20ms2727

PDF

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi/v27i131/e20ms2727

Published: 07 January 2023