CEBU CITY – Obtain your maintenance medicines for the heart from trusted sources.

The Philippine Heart Association (PHA) issued this reminder as it warned the public that taking fake drugs and consuming supplements that are not evidence-based can harm the heart and subsequently put someone’s life in danger.

The issue was tackled during the Nov. 27 episode of PHA’s Usapang Puso sa Puso entitled “Puso: Drugs, Supplements, and the Heart” in support of the Department of Health’s (DOH) observance of National Consciousness Week against Counterfeit Medicine in the third week of November.

This week’s edition aimed to correct beliefs about the supposed efficacy of some drugs and food supplements as good-for-the-heart products and guide patients in choosing products and lifestyle practices that are beneficial to cardiovascular and general health. 

The PHA urged the public to exercise utmost compliance with doctors and rely upon trusted sources in terms of acquiring medical drugs and food supplements as doing so can be associated with further problems when not done properly. 

Dr. Connie Sison, chairman of the PHA Council on Pharmacotherapy, stressed “the PHA supports the DOH in dissecting the formula and source of supplements and vitamins, because they have to be reputable, as the health and lives of the Filipinos are always at stake.”

The PHA emphasized that some drugs and food supplements are just “add-ons” and no vitamins or supplements can help cure nor prevent cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) like heart ailments and stroke. 

“Ang vitamins at supplements ay hindi tayo kayang protektahan laban sa heart disease, hindi rin ito makakapigil sa heart attack, stroke, o cardiovascular death. Pero ang multivitamins at mineral supplements, maaari nilang mapababa ang ilang risk factors at kaya rin nilang magbigay ng iba’t-ibang benefits para sa ating overall health,” said Sison. 

(Vitamins and supplements cannot protect us from heart disease, cannot prevent heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular deaths. But multivitamins and minerals can lower risk factors and can benefit our overall health)

The PHA said that fad medicines and supplements are being heavily advertised as “wonder” drugs and have been selling like hotcakes. 

Patients are patronizing product that have “no therapeutic claims” warning that is printed in small fonts that is hardly readable, PHA said.    

“They are advertised left and right, and people don’t know their adverse effects,” Sison said. 

PHA Advocacy Chairman and Director Dr. Avenilo “Jun” Aventura also said that the public should be mindful of the effects of the drugs and supplements being taken by asking doctors first on what to do with underlying sickness. 

“Patient compliance is crucial. We as doctors can’t do it alone. So ang involved diyan ay ang patient and family with the doctor, para matumbok ang pinaka effective na treatment plan para sa kanilang kondisyon,” Aventura said. 

(Patient compliance is crucial. We as doctors can’t do it alone. The patient and family must be involved with the doctor to determine the most effective treatment plan for their condition)

He urged patients to always check the label and seal of medicines and supplements to determine if these are verified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

Since the FDA has considered supplements as food and not drugs, Sison said that not all generic and branded supplements have the same quality as manufacturers are not as strict as medical drug producers. 

“Mabuti kung magko-consult muna sa doctor bago bumili, lalo na kung may heart condition. Siguraduhin lang na bumili ng gamot o supplements mula sa trusted sources,” Sison said.

(Consult your doctor first before buying supplements especially when you have a heart condition. But medicines and supplements from trusted sources)