Risks from the abuse of An cung nguu hoang hoan in stroke treatment

An cung nguu hoang hoan is known as a valuable oriental medicine, with a history of hundreds of years in China and is widely used in traditional medicine.

However, using this drug incorrectly, especially in stroke emergency, can cause serious consequences, threatening the patient's life.

The patient is being treated at 108 Military Central Hospital.

According to Master Vu Van Dai, Department of Traditional Medicine, 108 Central Military Hospital, An cung nguu hoang hoan includes main ingredients such as bezoar, cinnabar, musk, coptis, scutellaria and pearl.

According to traditional medicine, the drug has the effect of clearing heat, detoxifying, opening the senses and calming the nerves, suitable for cases of “excessive internal heat” manifested by high fever, delirium and convulsions. However, not all cases of stroke are suitable for this drug.

More than 80% of stroke cases in Vietnam are cerebral infarctions, requiring rapid emergency medical intervention within the first "golden hour", about 6 hours from the onset of symptoms.

Using An cung nguu hoang hoan in these cases can lower body temperature and reduce blood flow to the brain, leading to more serious consequences.

In particular, for patients with cerebral hemorrhage, the drug also has the risk of increasing bleeding due to containing mild anticoagulant ingredients, making the disease worse.

In addition, An cung nguu hoang hoan contains toxic medicinal ingredients such as cinnabar (containing mercury) and realgar (containing arsenic).

Improper use can damage the liver, kidneys and nervous system, and cause side effects such as digestive disorders, allergies, heart rhythm disturbances and seizures.

Some products of unknown origin were also found to contain heavy metals exceeding the safety threshold, increasing the risk of poisoning. At the Emergency Department of the 108 Military Central Hospital, many stroke patients were brought in after using An cung nguu hoang hoan at home.

Unfortunately, most of them have missed the "golden hour" for effective treatment, especially in cases of cerebral hemorrhage, when taking medication is not only useless but can also make the condition worsen rapidly.

A typical example is the case of Ms. D.TH (69 years old, Thanh Ba district, Phu Tho ), who had two strokes and was given An cung nguu hoang hoan by her family regularly with the hope of preventing recurrence.

When she was admitted to the hospital with abdominal pain, bloating, urinary retention, lethargy, respiratory failure, low blood pressure, and gastrointestinal bleeding, tests showed that she had severe anemia and a serious blood clotting disorder.

Brain MRI revealed multiple new infarcts in both cerebral hemispheres. The patient underwent intensive resuscitation with endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, and blood transfusion, and was given high doses of vitamin K1 to control bleeding.

Doctors assess that this serious condition is closely related to the misuse of An cung nguu hoang hoan.

According to the Drug Administration of Vietnam, Ministry of Health , An cung nguu hoang hoan currently has many origins from China, Korea, North Korea imported to Vietnam and is regulated as a drug that must be used according to prescription, correct indication and under the supervision of a traditional medicine specialist or oriental medicine practitioner.

The drug is contraindicated in cases of extensive ischemic stroke or cerebral hemorrhage because it can increase the risk of bleeding, making the disease more serious.

The problem is that people without expertise cannot distinguish between types of stroke, so arbitrarily buying and using An cung nguu hoang hoan to prevent or treat stroke is very dangerous.

When there are signs of stroke such as crooked mouth, weak limbs, difficulty speaking, the immediate thing to do is to take the patient to the nearest medical facility for timely diagnosis and treatment, avoiding dangerous treatment delays.

Dr. Vu Van Dai emphasized that there is no miracle pill that can replace timely emergency treatment in stroke treatment. The use of traditional medicine such as An cung nguu hoang hoan must comply with medical theory, medical evidence and medical ethics, based on clear instructions from medical specialists, to avoid turning a valuable medicine into blind faith that can harm the health and life of the patient.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/nguy-co-tu-viec-lam-dung-an-cung-nguu-hoang-hoan-trong-dieu-tri-dot-quy-d355622.html