Less Exercise Associated with Male Statin Use

Adapted from Author David Stauth, published June 11, 2014 on www.disabled-world.com/news 

Almost one-third of older Americans take statins, usually to reduce their cholesterol levels, but a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine raise concerns about a decline in much-needed physical activity among men. To be fair, the research did not identify why men who took statins exercised less, it just confirmed they did. Possible causes could include side effects of statins such as muscle pain and disruption of the mitochondrial function in cells, which could contribute to fatigue and muscle weakness.
In an analysis of 3.071 community-living men in the United States, age 65 or older, researchers found that men who took statins averaged about 40 minutes less of physical exercise per week, compared to those who weren’t taking the medication.
“For an older population that’s already pretty sedentary, that’s a significant amount less exercise,” said David Lee, an associate professor in the Oregon State University/Oregon Health & Science University College of Pharmacy, and lead author of the study.  That would equate to the loss of 150 minutes a week of slow-paced walking, Lee said.
“We’re trying to find ways to get older adults to exercise more, not less,” Lee said.  “It’s a fairly serious concern if use of statins is doing something that makes people less likely to exercise.”
Muscle pain is found in 5-30 percent of people who take statins, Lee said, and some people also report feeling less energetic, weak or tired.
Of some significance, the study also found that new statin users had the largest drop in physical activity.  An increase in sedentary behavior, which is associated with all-cause mortality and also death from cardiovascular disease, was also observed in statin users.
This research followed men for almost seven years after initial baseline studies were done, and compared changes in physical activity among users and non-users of statins.  In parts of the experiments, men wore accelerometers for a week to track by the minute their level of activity.
“Given these results, we should be aware of a possible decrease in physical activity among people taking a statin,” Lee said.  “If someone is already weak, frail, or sedentary, they may want to consider this issue, and consult with their doctor to determine of statin use is still appropriate.”  Lee said.  “This could decrease the benefit of the medication.”

Indepenence Day in America!

Did you know John Adams believed that July 2^nd was the correct date on which to celebrate the birth of American Independence, and would reportedly turn down invitations to appear at July 4^th events in protest?

When the initial battles in the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radical.  By the middle of the following year, however, many more colonists had come to favor independence, thanks to growing hostility against Britain and the spread of revolutionary sentiments such as those expressed in Thomas Paine’s bestselling pamphlet “Common Sense,” published in January 1776.  Originally published anonymously, “Common Sense” played a remarkable role in transforming a colonial squabble into the American Revolution.  This 47-page pamphlet sold some 500,000 copies (the population was estimated to be 2,500,000 in 1776), powerfully influencing American opinion when Paine wrote the following:  “Europe, and not England, is the parent country of America.  This new world hath been the asylum for the persecuted lovers of civil and religious liberty from every part of Europe.  Hither they have fled, not from the tender embraces of the mother, but from the cruelty of the monster; and it is so far true of England, that the same tyranny which drove the first emigrants from home, pursues their descendants still.”

On June 7, 1776, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies’ independence.  Amid heated debate, Congress postponed vote on the motion and appointed a five-man committee – including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York – to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain.

On July 2^nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of Lee’s resolution for independence in a near-unanimous vote (the New York delegation abstained, but later voted affirmatively).  On that day, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that July 2 “will be celebrated, by succeeding generations, as the great anniversary festival” and that the celebration should include “Pomp and parade…games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and Illuminations from one end of this continent to the other.”

On July 4^th, the Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence.  Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2^nd, from then on the 4^th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American independence.
In 1870, the U.S. Congress made July 4^th a federal holiday; in 1941, the provision was expanded to grant a paid holiday to all federal employees.  Over the years, the political importance of the holiday would decline, but Independence Day remained an important national holiday and a symbol of patriotism.

Note of interest: The population in America in 1776 was estimated to be 2.5 million.  In President George Washington’s first term in office, he had only 5 Cabinet members and about 1,000 federal workers in his employ.  Today almost 2.5 million Americans work for the federal government with a total U.S. population of approximately 317 million.

Sources:  http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/july-4th; http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/thomas-paine-publishes-common-sense;

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The 5 stages of a nurse vacation

We thought this was cute, from our friends over at www.Scrubsmag.com: 

The 5 Stages of a Nurse Vacation

Because nurses typically work three days a week, we can schedule ourselves to have extended time off without taking vacation. (We’re awesome, I know.) For example, if I work Sunday, Monday and Tuesday this week and work Thursday, Friday and Saturday of next week…that leaves me with eight days off without using my vacation time.

Yes, this is quite the glorious perk of being a nurse. However, these nursey vacations, whether they are enjoyed on a sandy beach, historical landmark, mountainous peak, or on my comfy living room couch, still always contain the same five stages of grieving. Here they are, outlined below. 

Stage 1: Denial

No, I am not a nurse. Do not ask me to do anything nursey. I don’t want to look at that new mole on your leg, oh close friend of mine. I don’t care that your dad’s blood pressure is 10 points less than it was last week and I don’t care if he goes to see his PCP.  I will avoid large crowds because larger crowds mean more people that could potentially need CPR. 

Stage 2:  Anger

I can’t believe I wiped other people’s butts more than my own this week! I can’t believe a thin piece of latex was all that lay between my hand and feces! I hate that I didn’t pee for 13 hours on Tuesday! Why did I go into debt for school to clean up POOP!? 

Stage 3:  Bargaining

Alright God, if you make it so that I never have to wipe another butt (other than my own) again, I promise to never hide in an unconscious patient’s room again. I promise I’ll never “forget” to start a bowel prep until an hour before shift change. And I definitely won’t fart and blame it on my intubated and sedated patient. 

Stage 4:  Depression

Who am I kidding? This is hopeless. I’m going to have to go back to work. All of my patients are going to be detoxing, poop will be everywhere, and they’ll all be allergic to all pain medications except Dilaudid, and are nauseated and nothing will work but Phenergan. Oh, and they’re itching too so they’ll need some Benadryl to complete their cocktail. Every two hours. My life is over. 

Stage 5:  Acceptance

Awwww look at that old lady getting groceries! She’s so cute and needy! She needs ME! I want to help her and walk her to her car. I hope she took her meds today. I bet she takes aspirin, Lisinopril, Colace, and Simvastatin every day. She reminds me of that patient I had last week that cried when I left for the night. Aaaahhh darnit. I cannot deny who I am. I love who I am. I am a nurse.