Patient/Family Teaching

• Instruct patients with preexisting intestinal disorders (e.g, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and so forth) not to take aloe juice without the advice of a health care provider

• Counsel patients that the oral juice should not be taken if they are experiencing abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or fever

• Teach patients that occasional constipation may not be an issue but persistent constipation may represent a more serious health problem and that their health care provider should be consulted

• Tell patients to expect laxative response to the oral juice in 8–12 hr

• Warn patients that the cathartic effects may be dramatic and that accompanying dehydration and electrolyte imbalances may occur. If severe diarrhea occurs or persists, seek out treatment from their health care provider

• Advise patients other than those with spinal cord injury that laxatives should only be used for short-term therapy. Although this is considered by some to be a natural way of correcting constipation it still carries the risk of electrolyte imbalance and dependency with chronic use

• Encourage patients to use other forms of bowel regulation: increasing bulk in the diet, increasing fluid intake, and increasing mobility, as appropriate. Normal bowel habits are individualized and may vary from 3 times/day to 3 times/wk

• Teach patients to consume a 1500–2000 ml/day during therapy to prevent dehydration

• Direct patients with a known cardiac history not to take this herbal supplement without the advice of their health care provider because of the risk of hypokalemia worsening arrhythmias

• Warn patients with cardiac history to avoid straining during bowel movements (Valsalva maneuver)

• Advise patients that topical applications should only be used for minor burns, abrasions, or wounds. Wounds of larger size or more serious burns should be treated by a health care provider

• Teach patients the signs and symptoms of allergic response (redness, rash, itching, serous drainage) to the topical formulation and to discontinue use promptly if these symptoms develop. If allergic response does not improve after discontinuing the product seek out a health care provider

• Instruct patients using topical application on a nonintact skin surface about signs and symptoms of infection (milky or discolored drainage, redness, warmth, swelling, pain) and to promptly seek out treatment of a health care provider if this occurs

• Counsel patients that if improvement in the wound is not occurring or it worsens, stop treatment with Aloe vera and seek the advice of a health care provider

• Warn patients with risk factors for delayed wound healing (e.g, diabetic patients, vascular disease) not to self-medicate with Aloe vera with out the approval of their health care provider

aloe (aloe vera l., a. perryi baker, a. barbadensis, a. vera miller) is a sample topic found in Davis's Drug Guide. All other sections of this record are viewable by clicking on the index in the left column, or by clicking on "Display all Sections" in the "Content Manager".

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