Lagos, diabetes mellitus, medication and altmeds, both in use

[HysteryDiagnosis]

adherence to medication is strong, biological therapies are woven into the mix, nothing seems to be too much out of place at least according to the Lagos department of medicine.

What was glaringly missing was any reference to lipoic acid as an adjunctive therapy.

On Edit to add: These interventions can be proven worthless if the proper people are runnning the show.



West Afr J Med. 2010 May-Jun;29(3):158-62.
Complementary and alternative medicine use in diabetes mellitus.
Ogbera AO, Dada O, Adeyeye F, Jewo PI.
Department of Medicine, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos; and Department of Medicine, General Hospital Gbagada, Lagos. Correspondence: Email address of: A. O. Ogbera: [e-mail].
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), an emerging aspect of the management of chronic diseases worldwide is not widely studied in Nigerian patients with diabetes mellitus (DM).

OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency and pattern of CAM utilization in people with DM .

METHODS: This was a cross-sectional question-naire survey involving 263 patients with DM. Biodata, duration of DM, type and pattern of CAM utilization and adherence to prescribed medications were documented. The prevalence and possible determinants of CAM utilization were evaluated by determining the odds ratio for independent variables.

RESULTS: There were 263 respondents with a mean age of 60 (10.7) years and with ages ranging from 28-80 years. The prevalence of CAM usage was 46% and the female: male ratio was 2:1. Generally, CAM users were older than non-CAM users, (p= 0.006). The main forms of CAM used were biological based therapies and these included bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), aloe vera, garlic, ginger, anlocal herbs. Adherence to prescribed medications was observed by 94% of respondents.

CONCLUSION: We found that CAM usage is an important facet of management of DM among our patients with biological based therapies being the prevalent forms of CAM utilized. Despite CAM usage, adherence to prescribed medications was high. Further evaluation of the impact of CAM on glycaemia is needed.
PMID: 20665458