Statin Drugs May Reduce Alzheimer's
Statin Drugs May Reduce Alzheimer’s
Several clinical studies in the past have evaluated the relationship
between the popular cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins and the
potential of such drugs to reduce the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease
(a specific type of dementia). These studies have produced conflicting
results. In a different study, Dutch scientists looked at several thousand
people, age 55 or older, who were free of dementia at the time. Some 9 to
10 years later this same group was evaluated. It was found that those
who took a statin such as simvastatin (Zocor), fluvastatin (Lescol) or
atorvastatin (Lipitor) during that time benefited from a 43% lower risk
of developing Alzheimer’s compared to those who did not take a statin
drug. Other cholesterol-lowering drugs such as nicotinic acid did not
provide protection. The results of this large study were published last
month in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
Scientists conducting the study feel that the next phase of their
research will be to find out at what point in a person’s life statins would
provide the greatest potential protective benefit.