Janice Schwartz, Mimi Tarn, and Research Team Publish Paper in JAGS

Drs. Janice Schwartz is a senior author in a research paper entitled "Prevalence and Knowledge of Potential Interactions Between Over-the-Counter Products and Apixaban" published online in JAGS. Mimi Tarn, MD, Ph.D of UCLA collaborated with Drs. Janice Schwartz and Fang to study over the counter (OTC) product use in combination with apixaban with the assistance of staff research associate Maureen Barrientos and U. Chicago summer students Angel Wang and Abjhit Ramaprasad.  They surveyed 791 English- or Spanish-speaking patients prescribed apixaban identified through UCLA and UCSF EMR searches. Almost all respondents (n = 771; 97.5%) reported OTC product use. One third 33% took at least one OTC product with the potential to increase bleeding daily or on most days. Aspirin was commonly used while NSAID use was infrequent. Dietary supplements with potentially serious interactions were taken daily or on most days by one fifth of patients taking apixaban (including turmeric/chinese tea, chinese herbs while use of St. Johns wort was very low). They concluded that education is needed for both patients and health care providers about the potential dangers of taking OTC products and dietary supplements with apixaban.