A Step (or Pedal) in the Right Direction!

Good news! Americans are slowly but surely getting MORE mobile. Research studies utilizing national household travel surveys from the last decade reveal that we walked on average 9 miles more than we did back in 2001. We also biked about 5 miles more. I'm pleased to see that 8% are walking 30 minutes per day- that's my "magic number" for daily exercise, because 30 minutes of getting your heart rate up each day will give your heart, brain and body a boost. In fact, 30 minutes of daily exercise helps improve your mood as much as a low dose of an antidepressant!

I find it interesting that 75% of walking trips and 50% of biking trips in 2009 were purely a mode of transportation (to the store, school, see friends, etc.) rather than for the pleasure or intent of exercise. The wonderful part is that you get the same benefits of exercise, regardless of your intent when you are in motion. With gas prices going up through the roof, I hope we will see a continued trend that bicycling will be used in place of cars for short travel distances.

Why not take a step in the right direction and make a commitment to walk or bike to at least one nearby destination instead of driving? Perhaps your family could walk to a neighborhood yogurt shop or diner, or you could bike to the grocery store for those one or two forgotten items.

BOTTOM LINE: Congrats, America, we're starting to move MORE- keep it up! And please...WEAR HELMETS & visible clothing!

Brand New FDA- Approved Antidepressant

The stock market is very aware that the FDA has approved a new antidepressant (see the FDA News release here)- a drug called Viibryd (vilazodone hydrochloride.) The manufacturer claims that this antidepressant did not cause weight gain, nor did it affect sexual function. If that turns out to be true once large numbers of people are taking the medication, I know I will be flooded with requests for this drug, because weight gain and decreased libido or sexual function are the major complaints that I hear about this class of medications.
Before we all jump on the bandwagon, however, let's go back to a blog I did last week- "Doc, Have you heard of this new drug" and look at the "STEPS" pneumonic.
S: Safety-Side affects appear to be at reasonable incidence, and I cannot find information regarding drug interactions.
T: Tolerability- side effects include "diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and insomnia"
E: Effectiveness-Honestly, I cannot tell from a brief perusal of the medical literature. I found many studies in rats, from the years leading up to the human trials, but only one good size (400 patients) of humans. There was some effect at one week (which is early for anti-depressants) compared to placebo, but no studies yet comparing it to other antidepressants.
P: Price- Don't know yet, but it's a new drug. This means coupons the first year, but a new drug is always a higher price than old ones. The business world, however, is excited and projecting over $2 MILLION in sales.
S: Simplicity- Sounds like it will be once per day, though again, I never found a product information sheet.

BOTTOM LINE: Yes, there is a new antidepressant, which MAY provide good improvement in patients with major depression, while having fewer adverse side effects (weight gain and sexual dysfunction)...but let's not storm the pharmacy yet.