Complementary Medicines

Question 1

Orthodox vs Complementary

Answer 1

Orthodox: Control disease
Complementary: Be in tune with disease

Question 2

CM Use in Australia

Answer 2

50-70% of population use, but less than half of these tell their doctor

Question 3

ARTG Listed

Answer 3

Lower risk and atleast low level evidence for efficacy

Question 4

ARTG Registered

Answer 4

Higher risk and high level evidence for efficacy

Question 5

ARTG Refused

Answer 5

Higher risk low/med level evidence for efficacy

Question 6

AUST R Medicines

Answer 6

Assessed for safety, quality and effectiveness

Question 7

AUST L Medicines

Answer 7

Reviewed for safety and quality

Question 8

Pharmacist View on CMs

Answer 8

Obligated to provide information and advice as with registered prescription and proprietary medicines

Question 9

Herbal & Traditional Medicines

Answer 9

• Natural product taken for medicinal purpose, not normally in diet
• Chemically complex
• Components are unidentified
• eg. Echinacea, Gingko, Ginseng

Question 10

Nutritional Supplements

Answer 10

• Deliver components that should otherwise be produced by the body or provided in the diet
• Individual components are known and identified on the label
• eg. EPO, Fish oil, CQ10

Question 11

Vitamins & Minerals

Answer 11

• Essential dietary components
• Individual components are known and identified on the label
• eg. Zinc, Folic acid, Iron

Question 12

Aromatherapy

Answer 12

• Essential oils/perfumes used to alter mood
• Some evidence for value in stress reduction
• Very Potent
• Used topically, massage, inhalation
• Scent may trigger memory to cause mood or physical changes

Question 13

Homeopathy

Answer 13

Symptoms of disease can be cured by extremely small amount of substances that produce similar symptoms in healthy people when adminestered in large amounts
- Efficacy cannot be confirmed or denied

Question 14

Homeopathy Dilution

Answer 14

Medicine becomes more potent with dilution
1 drop in 10 = 1X
1 drop in 100 = 1C
1 drop in 1000 = 1M
6X is used in most pharmacies
(sometimes 30X)

Question 15

Rules of Homeopathy

Answer 15

• Dont handle tablets
• Dissolve in mouth before swallowing
• Wait at least 30 mins after any strong flavour such as coffee, toothpaste

Question 16

Glucosamine

Answer 16

• Likely effective in osteoarthritis

- long term use

Question 17

CQ10

Answer 17

• Possibly effective in cardiovascular diseases

- No evidence in healthy people

Question 18

Fish Oil

Answer 18

• Omega-3, EPA, DHA
• Effectively lowers blood triglyceride levels
• Likely redues risk of heart attack and stroke
• Possibly reduces hypertension, period pain, rheumatoid arthritis etc.

Question 19

EPO

Answer 19

• Omega-6, GLA

- Possibly effective for diabetic neuropathy and osteoporosis

Question 20

Ilberogast

Answer 20

Registered for IBS and Dyspesia

Question 21

Kaloba

Answer 21

Registered for acute treatment of URTIs

Question 22

Echinacea

Answer 22

Possibly effective for treating the common cold

Question 23

Garlic

Answer 23

Marketed for prevention of common cold.
Possibly effective for:
- Cardiovascular effects
- Anticancer effects
- Antifungal
- Reducing tick bites

Question 24

St John’s Wort

Answer 24

• Likely effective antidepressant

- Potential to interact with many medicines due to liver enzyme induction

Question 25

Feverview

Answer 25

Possibly effective for migraine headaches

Question 26

Cranberry

Answer 26

Possibly effective for prevention of UTIs

Question 27

Valerian

Answer 27

Possibly effective for insomnia

Question 28

Passiflora

Answer 28

Possibly effective in anxiety

Question 29

Ginger

Answer 29

Possibly effective for nausea

- inssuficient evidence to rate

Question 30

Ginkgo Biloba

Answer 30

Possibly effective for improved brain function and peripheral circulation

Question 31

Saw Palmetto

Answer 31

Possibly ineffective anti-androgenic

- Insufficient evidence to rate

Question 32

Probiotics

Answer 32

• Likely effective for use in diarrhoea

- Possibly effective for Inflammatory bowel disease

Question 33

Micro-organisms Commonly Used in Probiotics

Answer 33

Lactobacillus & Bifidobacterium

Question 34

Mutaflor

Answer 34

Registered to treat constipation

Question 35

What Percentage of Smokers Want to Quit?

Answer 35

> 70%

Question 36

Av. Number of Unaided Quit Attempts Per Person

Answer 36

21

Question 37

Why do Smokers Want to Quit?

Answer 37

• Health/fitness
• Money
• Peer pressure
• Passive smoking concerns
• Example to children
• Restricted smoking areas
• Want to regain control

Question 38

Why is it Difficult to Quit?

Answer 38

• Fear of failure
• Withdrawal symptoms
• Motivation
• NRT incorrect use, under dosing and short treatment time
• Barriers: alcohol, weight gain, stress
• Not prepared for difficult situations
• Let ‘slip ups’ become relapses

Question 39

Why is Nicotine so Addictive

Answer 39

• High speed of absorption

- High plasma concentration in blood

Question 40

Mesolimbic Pathway

Answer 40

Nicotine binds to nACh receptors, causing an increase in dopamine and relief of withdrawal symptoms

Question 41

Nicotine Dosing

Answer 41

• Smokers titrate their dose of nicotine to feel satisfied by changing the way they smoke (Compensatory smoking/ light cigs)
• Factors influence indivividual nicotine requirments

Question 42

Nicotine Overdosing

Answer 42

• Nausea
• Stomach
• Cramps
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Sweating
• Breathing difficulties
• Heart Palpitations
• NOT FATAL