Kier RobertsonNUR 2530 111919Complementary Therapy Paper Hawthorn and Congestive Heart Failure

Kier RobertsonNUR 2530 11-19-19Complementary Therapy Paper: Hawthorn and Congestive Heart Failure Hawthorn: Complementary Therapy for Congestive Heart FailureThe hawthorn plant includes crataegus oxycantha, crataegus monogyna, and crataegus laevigata. Hawthorn presently belongs to the classification of the rose family found in Europe and North America. The leaf extracts and the berries are used for medical purposes throughout the world. Individuals have used Hawthorne as a treatment method for cardiovascular diseases since the early 1800s. Hawthorne is currently used by some patients as a complementary treatment for congestive heart failure. Hawthorne is primarily used for clients suffering from mild to moderate heart failure. Lastly, hawthorn has been used to treat boils, skin sores, insomnia, and diarrhea. Some research proposes hawthorn will reduce congestive heart failure symptoms such as exercise tolerance. Hawthorne is comprised of antioxidants that widen blood vessels and improve blood circulation for patients who suffer from cardiovascular diseases. Hawthorne also decreases the presence of excess cholesterol which can decrease coronary blood blow (R. Liperoti, 2017). This plant is available as a dried powder, capsules, liquid extract, syrup and brewed tea. Hawthorne consists of positive inotropic effects that affect the force of the heart muscle contractions. The plant also offers antioxidant defense for the heart. There is currently minimal evidence of data that supports hawthorn treatment of hypertension, dysrhythmias, and angina because more evidence is required to prove its effectiveness. Many patients incorporate complementary therapies into their medication regimen in addition to their conventional treatment. It is extremely important as a health care provider to be educated on other treatment methods that the client population could be using to treat their illness. This paper will incorporate research studies that support the effectiveness of this plant and the connection to decreasing symptoms of heart failure for patients. The interest in complementary therapy is growing among patients and their families. The disease process that will be discussed throughout this paper will be mild to moderate congestive heart failure. Congestive Heart failure is a chronic condition where the heart muscles are unable to pump blood as effectively and causes the blood to accumulate which causes fluid overload, difficultly breathing and excess urination at night. Congestive Heart Failure causes the body to be deficient in the blood needed to profuse the entire body. According to Traditional herbs: A Remedy for Cardiovascular Disorders, there was a research study conducted that exhibited an improvement in patients diagnosed with congestive heart failure that were given hawthorn as a treatment in comparison to the placebo administered to the other patients (S. Rastogi et al, 2016). Hawthorn encompasses more positive benefits for patients during the beginning stages of congestive heart failure. The author R. Riperoti et al stated that clinical studies have displayed that hawthorn tends to have a more positive effect over symptoms and treatment earlier in the diagnosis of congestive heart failure.It is extremely important to educate patients on being aware of how far their disease has progressed because this will help patients choose which complementary therapies will provide them with the best possible outcome. Studies have shown that Hawthorn extract can be used to decrease cholesterol levels and has a vasodilating effect. As stated in the article Effect of Crataegus usage in cardiovascular disease prevention: an evidence-based approach the author stated that evidence is accumulating from multiple studies to display the lipid decreasing effects and the dilation of the blood vessels that can assist patients suffering from congestive heart failure (Wang et al, 2014). As the nurse, it would be important to discuss with the patient which complementary therapies would be best for the current stage of their disease. Teaching is a significant role of the nurses must be aware of the most used complementary therapies because a patient could be interested in a combination of conventional and complementary therapy. Hawthorn is normally prescribed between 160-1800mg daily and divided into two to three doses daily to increase effectiveness. The patient must comply with the treatment regimen for 6-8 weeks before noticing a change in symptoms related to congestive heart failure. Hawthorn costs between $3-$25 per month for patients who are prescribed the dose listed above. Hawthorn can be purchased from Rite Aid, Walmart, Amazon, and herbal medicine stores. Side effects of Hawthorn include dizziness, fatigue, vertigo, headache and nausea. If a patient is consuming a high dose of hawthorn hypotension can occur. The use of hawthorn is contraindicated with lactation and pregnancy because it can cause potential uterine activities. The nurse should remind the patient to be cautious while taking this extract in combination with ACE inhibitors and digoxin because the patient needs to be aware that they should not stop the medications suddenly. Nursing implications should concentrate on educating patients about waiting 6-8 weeks before seeing improvements in their congestive heart failure symptoms. The patient should be aware that complementary therapy affects all patients differently and there is no guarantee that this extract will provide them with the same relief as another patient. Nurses who lack knowledge regarding complementary therapies will have issues communicating effectively regarding the subject. The nurse should auscultate lung for crackles, check daily weight and assess for peripheral edema. The patient should be made aware to call the physician if heart attack symptoms occur such as pain in the jaw, arm, chest tightness or sweating. The patient should avoid driving until the effect of the complementary drug is known. Make sure the patient is aware that they should not take hawthorn without advice from a health care professional. The patient should be aware that hawthorn helps to decrease the symptoms of heart failure, however, it is not a curative measure. The patient should continue to implement lifestyle measures while using this complementary therapy. The patient should be educated about the proven therapies that should be implemented before using hawthorn as a complementary therapy. In closing, hawthorn provides some relief of symptoms to patients that have congestive heart failure. This complementary therapy is not recommended to be taken individually without being paired with conventional therapy. The patient should be aware that even complementary therapies have side effects to keep an eye on. The patient should be sure to discuss their treatment options with their health care provider before making a final decision. Overall, some studies display modest improvements that are occurring for these patients with mild to moderate congestive heart failure. References Liperoti, R., Vetrano, D. L., Bernabei, R., & Onder, G. (2017). Herbal Medications in Cardiovascular Medicine. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 69(9), 1188–1199. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2016.11.078Rastogi, Subha, et al. “Traditional herbs: a remedy for cardiovascular disorders.”” Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy & Phytopharmacology