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Statins may help protect against dementia
People who take cholesterol-busting statin drugs may also be helping to protect themselves against dementia, according to the results of a five-year study published in the journal, Neurology
Researchers in the US found that men and women in a high risk group were up to 50 per cent less likely to develop dementia or cognitive impairment if they took statins.
‘The bottom line is that if a person takes statins over a course of about five to seven years, it reduces the risk of dementia by half, and that's a really big change,’ said study leader Professor Mary Haan from the University of Michigan.
Altogether, 1,674 people aged 60 and over took part in the study. All were free of dementia at the start of the trial but were high risk because they suffered from diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Statins were taken by 27 per cent of the subjects at some point during the trial.
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Over the five year follow up period 130 of the participants went on to show signs of dementia.
More than three million people take statins in the UK to reduce blood levels of harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or ‘bad’ cholesterol which is linked to a number of health issues including heart disease and stroke.
Professor Hann points out that many people will already have unknowingly reaped the added protective benefits of statins. However she is not suggesting that people should take statins to protect against dementia.
‘We aren't suggesting that people should take statins for purposes other than what they are indicated for, but hopefully this study and others will open the door to statin testing for dementia and other types of cognitive impairment,’ said Hann.
It is not known why statins have this protective quality but one theory is that they reduce the levels of the hormone insulin which may increase the risk of dementia.
'Statins are increasingly hitting the headlines as a potential cure for dementia,' said Clive Ballard, director of research at the Alzheimer's Society. 'The jury is still out on how effective they are, but this study adds to growing evidence that they may have some benefits. All drugs have some side-effects so it is important to seek professional advice about medication.'
This research comes in the wake of a separate study that suggests that drugs taken to reduce blood pressure may also reduce the risk of developing dementia.
Scientists at the Boston School of Medicine looked at the records of about six million people treated for high blood pressure between 2001 and 2006. The team found that those people who took angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) were 40 per cent less likely to develop dementia over the trial period than people who were taking a different blood pressure treatment such as ACE inhibitors.
The study also found that taking ARB’s appeared to slow the progression of the disease in patients already diagnosed with dementia.
‘High blood pressure doubles the risk of Alzheimer's disease and increases risk of stroke - this study highlights that it is becoming increasingly important to investigate blood pressure lowering drugs as a potential treatment for dementia,’ said the Alzheimer's Society's Professor Clive Ballard.
Another study carried out by researchers at the University of Kansas has found that maintaining physical fitness can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia. The team discovered that physically fit people with early-stage Alzheimer’s had more brain volume in areas important to memory, than people who had let their fitness go.
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Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
