Cholesterol-lowering statins may reduce dementia risk: Study
What's the story
Statins, commonly used cholesterol-lowering drugs, could cut the risk of dementia by as much as 15%, a long-term study has found. The research showed that starting statin treatment earlier in life further decreases the chances of developing this debilitating disease. The findings were presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) congress in Munich and published in the Lancet Regional Health Europe journal.
Research details
10% reduction in dementia risk
The study, the largest of its kind, tracked over 132,000 people in Denmark from 2006 to 2021.
It found that those who started taking statins during the study period were 10% less likely to develop dementia.
The risk reduction was even higher at 15% for those who began treatment early on. The effect was consistent across both genders.
Cholesterol connection
What are statins?
Statins are widely used to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in the blood, a major contributor to plaque buildup in arteries.
This can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and heart disease.
However, experts believe these drugs could also protect the brain over time by reducing high LDL cholesterol levels that harden or narrow blood vessels supplying the brain.
Risk factor
Previous study on modifiable risk factors
LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) drives plaque formation, and the resulting disruptions to the brain's blood supply can increase the risk of dementia.
A previous study from The Lancet Dementia Commission suggested that addressing 14 modifiable risk factors, starting in childhood and continuing throughout life, could prevent or delay 45% of dementia cases.
Dr. Tummas Ternhamar from Copenhagen University Hospital presented these new findings at the conference.
Participant profile
Key study findings
All participants in the 15-year study had type 2 diabetes. Among them, 2.7% went on to develop dementia.
Compared with no statin initiation, early statin treatment was associated with a 15% lower relative risk of dementia over a decade.
Late statin initiation was linked to a 10% lower relative risk during the same period.
Ongoing research
Plausible explanation for statins' effect on dementia risk
Experts are still investigating why statins might lower the risk of dementia.
Dr. Ternhamar explained that "statins effectively lower LDL cholesterol and protect against atherosclerosis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases."
He added this could protect against cerebrovascular atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke, reduced blood flow, and damage to brain tissue, providing a plausible explanation for their findings.