Many patients ask for nonprescription medications to use for various health problems, such as insomnia, depression, pain, memory, and anxiety. Select one patient complaint (for example, insomnia) and review the major herbs that have been recommended for treatment. Go to the South University Online Library and locate at least one peer-reviewed research article designed to study the effects of one of these substances. Describe the study and results and explain how this would influence your action as an APN.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction: As medical professionals, we often encounter patients who ask for nonprescription medications for various health problems. In this assignment, we will focus on one patient complaint and review the major herbs that have been recommended for treatment. We will also look at a peer-reviewed research article that studies the effects of one of these substances and discuss how this would influence our actions as advanced practice nurses (APNs).
Answer: For this assignment, we will focus on the patient complaint of anxiety. The major herbs that have been recommended for the treatment of anxiety include chamomile, lavender, passionflower, and valerian root.
One peer-reviewed research article that studied the effects of chamomile on anxiety was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology in 2009. The study was a randomized, placebo-controlled trial that involved 57 participants with mild to moderate generalized anxiety disorder. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either chamomile extract or placebo twice daily for eight weeks.
The results of the study showed that the participants who received chamomile extract had a significant reduction in the severity of anxiety symptoms compared to those who received placebo. The authors concluded that chamomile extract may have anxiolytic activity and could be useful in the management of mild to moderate anxiety disorder.
As APNs, this study provides evidence for the use of chamomile extract in the treatment of anxiety. However, it is important to note that the study was conducted on a small sample size and may not be generalizable to all patients with anxiety. We should also consider the potential for herb-drug interactions and possible adverse effects when recommending chamomile extract to our patients. Therefore, it is essential to discuss the use of chamomile extract with our patients, review their medical history and medications, and monitor their response to treatment.
