Let Them Eat Healthy: Can Emerging Potassium Binders Help Overcome Dietary Potassium Restrictions in Chronic Kidney Disease?

Potassium-rich foods might provide many health benefits even to people who have declining renal function. The barrier to obtaining these health benefits has long been the concern over hyperkalemia. There are new and novel treatment options available which may enable patients with chronic kidney disease to obtain the health benefits of eating a diet that contains foods such as fruits and vegetables which are high in potassium while reducing the risk of hyperkalemia. We conclude by emphasizing the need for clinical trials with patients on hemodialysis to directly compare the current standard of care, including a potassium-restricted diet, to a potassium-liberalized diet with a potassium binder. The outcome measures would be serum potassium (<5.3 mmol/L), assessments of acidosis, blood pressure, constipation, glycemic control, overhydration, and azotemia, all of which might change in a favorable direction with vegetarian diets as well as quality of life and satisfaction.

Occupational Disappointment: Why Did I Even Become a Nurse?

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to identify patterns of feelings and behavior of ED RNs who have experienced verbal workplace violence. METHODS: Twenty-eight registered nurses from across the state of California were recruited. Data were collected, using in-depth interviews, and were recorded. The tapes were transcribed and analyzed using Glaserian grounded-theory methodology. RESULTS: The main experiences of participants included occupational disappointment, peer support, lack of preparation by mandatory violence prevention classes, and unrealistic patient expectations. DISCUSSION: These findings can help staff, managers, and future educators of ED RNs examine feelings, mitigate the profound and pervasive effects of VWPV, and improve patient care. Contribution to Emergency Practice.

Predictors of fat mass changes in response to aerobic exercise training in women.

Aerobic exercise training in women typically results in minimal fat loss, with considerable individual variability. We hypothesized that women with higher baseline body fat would lose more body fat in response to exercise training and that early fat loss would predict final fat loss. Eighty-one sedentary premenopausal women (age: 30.7 ± 7.8 years; height: 164.5 ± 7.4 cm; weight: 68.2 ± 16.4 kg; fat percent: 38.1 ± 8.8) underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry before and after 12 weeks of supervised treadmill walking 3 days per week for 30 minutes at 70% of (Equation is included in full-text article.). Overall, women did not lose body weight or fat mass. However, considerable individual variability was observed for changes in body weight (-11.7 to +4.8 kg) and fat mass (-11.8 to +3.7 kg). Fifty-five women were classified as compensators and, as a group, gained fat mass (25.6 ± 11.1 kg to 26.1 ± 11.3 kg; p < 0.001). The strongest correlates of change in body fat at 12 weeks were change in body weight (r = 0.52) and fat mass (r = 0.48) at 4 weeks. Stepwise regression analysis that included change in body weight and body fat at 4 weeks and submaximal exercise energy expenditure yielded a prediction model that explained 37% of the variance in fat mass change (R = 0.37, p < 0.001). Change in body weight and fat mass at 4 weeks were moderate predictors of fat loss and may potentially be useful for identification of individuals who achieve less than expected weight loss or experience unintended fat gain in response to exercise training.