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A 39-year-old white woman was found to have a serum potassium level of 2.9 mmol/L during an annual physical examination. Her magnesium level was normal. She was not known to be taking prescription drugs that cause hypokalemia, and she denied use of diuretics or laxatives. Further questioning revealed that she recently had consumed large amounts of a "cleansing tea" that she had purchased from a health food company. Among the ingredients were alfalfa and nettles, both of which have diuretic properties, and licorice, which can contribute to hypokalemia through the aldosterone-like effect of glycyrrhizic acid. She was told to discontinue the tea-drinking, potassium supplements were prescribed, and the serum potassium level normalized.

This case illustrates several important issues. First, it is imperative that the caregiver ask the patient if any herbal or natural supplements are being taken. The use of these substances has become widespread, especially with the explosion of . . . [Full Text of this Article]

RELATED LETTER

Herbal Interactions With Cardiac Drugs
Tsung O. Cheng and Robert M. Feingold
Arch Intern Med. 2000;160(6):870-871.
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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Herbal Interactions With Cardiac Drugs
Cheng and Feingold
Arch Intern Med 2000;160:870-871.
FULL TEXT