Cerebrovascular Disease (stroke)

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Pine Bark Extract [1, 2, 3, 4]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: weakly in favor  (Early studies indicate potential for Pine bark extract in the treatment of strokes, but more clinical studies need to be done)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Red Pepper (Capsaicin):

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (Available evidence does not support claims that Red Peppers help to treat or prevent strokes in any way)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT):

NOT RECOMENDED

Recommendation: strongly against (Available evidence does NOT support claims that HBOT helps to treat stroke in any way)

Grade of Evidence: Moderate quality of evidence

Acupuncture:

Recommendation: weakly in favor (Although evidence is not strong, studies have shown that Acupuncture can help in the supportive care and rehabilitation of stroke patients. It is, however, NOT a treatment for stroke)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Qigong:

Recommendation: no recommendation (there is insufficient evidence to show that Qigong can help treat Angina in any way)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00214032

3. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/pine-bark-extract

4. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-pycnogenol.html

 

Public Discussion