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Rebecca Voelker

JAMA. 1999;281:1882.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

A rapid rise in the use of herbal medications has prompted the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) to warn that these products should be discontinued prior to surgery.

"Just because a medicine is called ‘natural' or ‘herbal' does not mean it is harmless or completely safe," said ASA President John B. Neeld, Jr, MD, last month. Neeld noted that a number of anesthesiologists have anecdotally reported observing substantial changes in heart rate or blood pressure in some patients who were taking herbal medications, notably St John's wort, gingko biloba, and ginseng.

Patients should stop taking herbal medications at least 2 to 3 weeks before surgery, Neeld said. If surgery must be scheduled more quickly, patients should be told to bring the product to the hospital in its original container so the anesthesiologist can determine the exact ingredients.

"It is very troubling to see our patients use products that . . . [Full Text of this Article]