The use of CAM by people with asthma

During the most recent meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians Dr. Paul Blanc from the University of California at San Francisco reported that half of all people with asthma use CAM.

Here are the highlights from Medscape.

• 30% of patients use oral vitamins and minerals
• 21% use herbal therapies
• 18% adjust their coffee and tea intake
• 13% use caffeine-containing preparations
• 14% use dietary supplements, such as garlic and chili pepper
• 8% use homeopathic methods

Half of all patients used at least one of the above remedies. Of that group, 23% used a single remedy, 27% used at least 2, and 7% used 4 to 6 of the remedies.

Non-oral remedies, such as acupuncture, massage, yoga, aromatherapy, and chiropractic therapy were used by 20%, most of whom also used oral complementary and alternative medicines.

Read more about CAM and asthma here.

1/21/07 20:30 JR