More and more Americans start to use herbal remedies to help manage chronic conditions or promote general health and wellness. But many of current popular herbal supplements, including St. John's wort, gingko biloba, garlic and even grapefruit juice can pose serious risks to people who are taking medications for heart disease, showed a review article published in the February, 9, 2010, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The use of these products is particularly concerning among elderly patients who typically have co-morbidities, take multiple medications and are already at greater risk of bleeding, according to the authors.

In addition to their direct effects on body function, these herbs can interact with medications used to treat heart disease, that is either reducing their effectiveness or increasing their potency, which may result in bleeding or a greater risk for serious cardiac arrhythmias.