Tema,-Ghana Sept. 23, – Dr. Marc Kwame Dzradosi, the Head of Pharmaceutical Service at the International Maritime Hospital (IMaH), has cautioned the public against the excessive intake of ginger and garlic, especially when they are on medication, as it could lead to thinning of their blood.
Garlic and ginger are among the most used natural spices, especially in Ghanaian cuisine, and in herbal medicine, as some take them raw while others add them to every food they eat, including tea.
Dr. Dzradosi, however, said that “a high intake of garlic and ginger can thin your blood and cause bleeding.”
He said this when he, together with Ms. Sandra Araba Mensah, the Deputy Head of Pharmacy, and Nana Oye Edmund, the Inpatient Pharmacy Supervisor at IMaH, gave the advice during the weekly “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility! A Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office initiative
He said medicines such as aspirin are blood thinners; therefore, taking aspirin alongside garlic and ginger could lead to bleeding if not checked, and he therefore advised the public to consume such things in moderation.
He therefore urged patients to have time to talk to their doctors or pharmacists and share all needed information, including the food they consume, to enable them to diagnose them properly.
Touching on how patients could have safe medications, he said they must take stock of what took them to the hospital and check if the doctor got their complaints well and therefore gave the right diagnoses.
He further said they must check if they have received the right medication and ask how the medication would work, its side effects, and other important information before leaving the hospital.
He also reaffirmed the requirement that physicians and other healthcare professionals do a medication reconciliation prior to prescribing drugs to their patients.
He said medication reconciliation would lessen the chance of prescribing the incorrect medication, reduce drug interactions, and stop prescription cascades that might have a negative impact on patients.
Dr. Dzradosi noted that patients should be questioned about their pharmaceutical regimens when they check into a hospital, including any prescription drugs, over-the-counter meds, and herbal and supplement preparations.
According to him, many people nowadays are polypharmacy patients, taking five or more drugs concurrently due to a variety of medical issues.
Dr. Dzradosi, said one person may have hypertension, high cholesterol, arthritis, prostate, kidney problems, and cancer, among other conditions.
He added that each of these conditions would require its own set of medications for therapy.
Ms. Edmunds encouraged patients to report any side symptoms that they were uncomfortable with to the hospital right away after taking any medication.
She also asked patients to read the medication leaflets to ensure that they were well-informed about the medications that were being given to them, as they contained information on the medication’s ingredients, adverse effects, dose, and dos and don’ts.
In order to ensure the safe use of their drugs, Ms. Mensah, the Deputy Head of Pharmacy at IMaH, emphasized the need for patients to feel comfortable to ask questions.
According to her, the questions should, among other things, address what ailment the medication is meant to treat, how to store it, any potential adverse effects, and when and how to take it.
