Herbal Fertility Remedies Leading to Massive Pulmonary Embolism: A Case Report

Iman  Bhia; Aryan  Seraj; Toktam  Alirezaei

doi:10.18502/crcp.v9i2.16929

Iman Bhia Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Aryan Seraj Men’s Health and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Toktam Alirezaei Men’s Health and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/crcp.v9i2.16929

Keywords: Pulmonary embolism; Herbal medicine; Testosterone; Infertility treatment

Abstract

The rising use of herbal medicines raises concerns about their safety and effectiveness. This case report involves a 55-year-old male who developed shortness of breath and chest discomfort after using herbal substances and sildenafil for erectile dysfunction and infertility. He was diagnosed with a massive acute pulmonary embolism (PE) via CT angiography and treated with alteplase, followed by oral apixaban after discharge. The herbal substances included carob, ginger, red ginseng, and others. This case highlights the need to investigate how herbal remedies may affect hormone balance and contribute to cardiovascular risks, particularly PE.