Complementary and Alternative Medicines in the Management of Heart Failure: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are commonly used across the world by diverse populations and ethnicities but remain largely unregulated. Although many CAM agents are purported to be efficacious and safe by the public, clinical evidence supporting the use of CAM in heart failure remains limited and controversial. Furthermore, health care professionals rarely inquire or document use of CAM as part of the medical record, and patients infrequently disclose their use without further prompting. The goal of this scientific statement is to summarize published efficacy and safety data for CAM and adjunctive interventional wellness approaches in heart failure. Furthermore, other important considerations such as adverse effects and drug interactions that could influence the safety of patients with heart failure are reviewed and discussed.

Automated summary

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are widely used but poorly regulated. The efficacy and safety of CAM in heart failure treatment remain limited and controversial, and healthcare professionals rarely inquire about or document CAM use. This statement aims to summarize the evidence for CAM in heart failure, discuss considerations such as adverse effects and drug interactions, and promote further research in this area.