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Quick Study
DEMENTIA
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Statin use in later years may lessen dementia risk.
THE QUESTION Besides lowering cholesterol, might statins also prevent memory loss and dementia?
THIS STUDY analyzed data on 1,674 older people (average age, 70) who had no signs of trouble thinking. During a five-year period, about 27 percent took statins, and 130 people were diagnosed with memory loss or dementia. People taking statins were about half as likely as the others to have developed such cognitive impairment.
WHO MAY BE AFFECTED? Older people taking statins, which are commonly prescribed for people at risk for heart disease. The drugs lower the level of cholesterol in the blood by reducing the liver's production of cholesterol, which can cause plaque buildup leading to clogged arteries.
CAVEATS The study did not determine whether different statins had differing effects. Medical experts do not recommend that people take statins unless they need to lower cholesterol.
FIND THIS STUDY July 29 issue of Neurology.
LEARN MORE ABOUT statins at http:/
-- Linda Searing
The research described in Quick Study comes from credible, peer-reviewed journals. Nonetheless, conclusive evidence about a treatment's effectiveness is rarely found in a single study. Anyone considering changing or beginning treatment of any kind should consult with a physician.
