10 Jun Older Men Taking Statins Less Physically Active

MedicalResearch.com Interview with
David S.H. Lee, Pharm.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmacy Practice
College of Pharmacy
Oregon State University/Oregon Health and Science University
Portland OR, 97239

MedicalResearch: What are the main findings of the study?

Dr. Lee: We found that older men taking a statin were less physically active and had more sedentary behavior. They had about 37 minutes of less moderate exercise per week. For comparison, the American heart Association recommends about 40 minutes of moderate activity 3-4 times per week. We also found that those that started using a statin during the study had the largest drop in physical activity.

MedicalResearch: Were any of the findings unexpected?

Dr. Lee: The most unexpected finding was that those that started using a statin had the largest drop in physical activity. We expected them to have less physical activity compared to nonusers at the end of the study, but we didn’t expect them to have a larger drop in their physical activity compared to people that used a statin at all of the visits.

MedicalResearch: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Lee: Be aware that statins may decrease your physical activity, but physical activity is important to maintain health, mobility, walking, and independence.

MedicalResearch: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Lee: Future research should look at if the decrease in physical activity results in less independence, or have more mobility and walking problems.

Citation:

Last Updated on June 10, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD