Prescription of nutraceuticals in a gastroenterology outpatient clinic in Belo Horizonte: Prescription of nutraceuticals in a gastroenterology outpatient clinic in Belo Horizonte

Gabriela Marques Costa; Thiago  Lacerda Bitencourt de Faria; Jôsi  Fernandes de Castro Rodrigues; Luiz Alexandre Viana Magno

doi:10.61910/ricm.v9i1.521

Authors

Gabriela Marques Costa Faculdade Ciências Médicas de Minas Gerais https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9161-3925
Thiago Lacerda Bitencourt de Faria Faculdade Ciências Médicas de Minas Gerais https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1150-9036
Jôsi Fernandes de Castro Rodrigues Faculdade Ciências Médicas de Minas Gerais https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6176-9129
Luiz Alexandre Viana Magno Faculdade Ciências Médicas de Minas Gerais https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3693-1897

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61910/ricm.v9i1.521

Keywords:

Dispepsia, Hepatopatia, Nutracêutico, Prescrição Médica

Abstract

Introduction: Nutraceuticals are compounds derived from natural foods that have gained recognition as
potential health promoters. However, the lack of knowledge about their prescription profile in specialized
outpatient care settings hinders an in-depth understanding of how these products are integrated into clinical
management. Objective: To describe the prescription of nutraceuticals among adults diagnosed with liver
disease or dyspepsia treated at a gastroenterology clinic in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Methods: The study was
conducted as a cross-sectional, retrospective, single-center analysis of medical records from all first outpatient
appointments between August 2022 and September 2023. Results: Of the 688 consultations investigated, 141
patients were eligible for the study, with the majority diagnosed with dyspepsia (68.1%) and the rest with liver
disease (31.9%). Most included patients were female (63.1%), with an average age of 58.7 years, and systemic
arterial hypertension was the most common comorbidity (52.5%). Nutraceuticals were prescribed in 26.2% of
cases, with 28.9% of patients with liver disease and 25% with dyspepsia. Vitamin D was the most frequently
prescribed nutraceutical (11.3%), followed by psyllium (5%). The study identified significant differences in nutraceutical prescriptions according to diagnosis. Conclusion: Nutraceuticals were prescribed to about a quarter
of the patients seen, particularly vitamin D and psyllium, with thiamine being prescribed more frequently to
patients with liver disease. These findings reinforce the relevance of the topic and indicate the need for future
studies to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these clinical practices.

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Prescription of nutraceuticals in a gastroenterology outpatient clinic in Belo Horizonte