@article{ref1,
title="Effects of statins and cholesterol on patient aggression: is there a connection?",
journal="Innovations in clinical neuroscience",
year="2018",
author="Leppien, Emily and Mulcahy, Kimberly and Demler, Tammie Lee and Trigoboff, Eileen and Opler, Lewis",
volume="15",
number="3-4",
pages="24-27",
abstract="<b>Overview</b>: Psychiatric adverse effects, including aggression, have been reported with the use of statin medications; however, there is little data to support or refute the theory that statins or low serum cholesterol do in fact increase a patient's risk of aggression. <b>Objective</b>: This study examined 1) statin use and increased aggression, measured by the requirement of either emergent psychiatric intervention referred to as &quot;Code Green&quot; (CG) or &quot;Restraint and Seclusion&quot; (RS) and 2) cholesterol level and increased aggression in psychiatric inpatients. <b>Materials and Methods</b>: Patient charts from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2015 were reviewed. Statin therapy, lipid panel, and requirement of a psychiatric emergency code CG or RS were noted. Inpatients who did not receive cholesterol-lowering therapy were used as controls. Analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were used to examine the relationship between statin use and increased aggression. <b>Results</b>: Eleven (9.6%) patients receiving statins required a total of 57 CGs, and five (4.4%) required 27 RSs. Conversely, 33 (28.9%) patients not receiving statins required a total of 64 CGs, and 14 (12.3%) required 27 RSs. No statistically significant relationship between statin therapy and agitation was found as evidenced by a CG (<i>F</i>=0.068; <i>p</i>=0.795) or RS (<i>F</i>=0.001; <i>p</i>=1.000). A statistically significant relationship was found between total cholesterol level and requirement of a CG (<i>F</i>=1.435; <i>p</i>=0.029) or RS (<i>F</i>=2.89; <i>p</i>=0.000). <b>Conclusion</b>: It is evident that psychiatric inpatients with lower total cholesterol levels are at an increased risk for loss of behavioral control.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2158-8333",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}