ABSTRACT
We investigated the number of drugs and pharmaceutical cost among 159 patients prescribed Western medicine and hospitalized from August 2006 to August 2015 in the Department of Oriental (Kampo) Medicine at Chiba University Hospital. The number of drugs used in Western medicine among improved patients significantly decreased from 5.6 ± 3.6 at hospitalization to 5.3 ± 3.5 at discharge, but the number of Kampo medicine drugs was not changed. The total number of drugs including both Western medicine and Kampo medicine significantly decreased from 7.0 ± 3.8 to 6.7 ± 3.6. The number of drugs used in Western medicine among nochanged patients decreased from 5.1 ± 3.4 at hospitalization to 5.0 ± 3.7 at discharge, but the number of Kampo medicine drugs significantly increased from 1.0 ± 0.0 at hospitalization to 1.3 ± 0.5. The total number of drugs including both Western medicine and Kampo medicine increased from 6.1 ± 3.4 to 6.3 ± 3.9. We thus conclude that a combination of Kampo medicine with Western medicine can be useful for reducing the number of drugs related to polypharmacy. To achieve these results, it is essential to use the concept of sho (a way of pattern recognition of a patient's symptoms in Kampo medicine).
ABSTRACT
We present a patient with short bowel syndrome (SBS), successfully treated with the Kampo medicine, shigyakuto-kagen. The patient was a 74 year old female complaining of severe diarrhea, abdominal distention, and abdominal pain. She was diagnosed as having tuberculous peritonitis when she 23 years of age. A partial resection of the small bowel and colon was performed for ileus, secondary to her tuberculous peritonitis, eventually causing her short bowel syndrome (SBS). Severe abdominal distention and pain had persisted even after the resection surgery. She consulted our clinic at 60 years of age in order to receive Kampo therapy. Bukuryoshigyakuto was prescribed, and her condition markedly improved. Zanthoxylum piperitum was added to bukuryoshigyakuto, and the regimen had the reactivity of daikenchuto. She regained her pre-operation body weight. It is significant that this case was followed for 14 years with therapy based on Kampo diagnosis, without remarkable complications, although patients with SBS often tend to have poor prognosis.