Study Links Statins To Dementia Prevention

(CBS)  It's estimated that more than five million Americans are suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. That number is expected to more than triple 2050. One of the most heartbreaking signs of the disease is dementia. Now a new study says preventing the symptom may be found in one the most popular medications on the market today. CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook explains.

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The study followed more than 1,600 people over the age of 60 for five years. Those who were taking a cholesterol-lowering statin such as Lipitor, had a surprising result.

They were about half as likely to develop either early signs of trouble thinking or full-blown dementia.

Research has shown that giving statins to patients who already have Alzheimer's does not seem to help. But today's study looked at people before any hint of dementia.

"What it tells us is that statins might not be effective in slowing the progression of disease, but they might ... prevent disease," said Mary Haan of the University of Michigan.

Since cholesterol is part of the tell-tale plaques on the brains of Alzheimer's patients, it made sense to think that statins might help.

"It seems as though the statins because they lower cholesterol reduce production of these plaques," said Dr. Gayatri Devi.

High cholesterol is one risk factor for dementia - but experts stress focusing on all risk factors.

"... obesity, smoking, certain types of genetic predisposition," Devi said.

And despite this study, there is not enough evidence to prescribe statins for the brain.

A patient calls you up and says "I'm losing my memory a little, would you be tempted to put them on a statin, LaPook asked.

"No, no, I think if they have high cholesterol, then absolutely, yes then that's a good time to put them on statins," Devi said. "But statins as prevention for Alzheimers is not indicated at this time."

[gaye5]

Since 1999, Public Citizen has called on the FDA to put black box warning on Lipitor as well as other statins, saying they are concerned about possibly deadly side effects. Public Citizen director Sidney Wolfe has said there were over 50 deaths related to statins, and he was concerned that there wasn''t enough public awareness over the drug''s problems.

In 2001, a high profile withdrawal of the drug Baycol, by the maker Bayer, occurred after several deaths relating to a muscle degenerative disease called rhabdomyolysis. Baycol is also a type of statin, similar to Lipitor. Merck spokeswoman Donna Cary recently stated that their company''s drugs, Mevacor and Zocor, might have also been related to some undisclosed amount of deaths.

[gaye5]

Oscarez, youa re DEAD right, pharmeceutical drugs and dr''s are the 4th cause of death in America and from what I have been reading for years now is that statin drugs can cause dementia. Just look up the dangers of ????.
The advent of the stronger statin drugs in the past decade has contributed to a flood of reports of impaired cognition. Only in the past several years have we learned the importance of cholesterol in brain function.
Explanation for statin drugs'' effect on cognition came on 9 November 2001, when Dr. Frank Pfrieger of the Max Planck Society.
The so-called glial cells of the brain, long suspected of providing certain housekeeping functions, were shown to produce their own supply of cholesterol for the specific purpose of providing nerve cells with this vital synaptic component.

The brain must depend upon its own cholesterol synthesis, which the glial cells provide. The highly lipophilic statin drugs more easily cross the blood/brain barrier and interferes directly with glial cell synthesis of cholesterol.

Millions of patients are now taking this class of drug and are at significant risk for cognitive side effect. Transient global amnesia is just the tip of the iceberg. For every report of TGA there are hundreds of reports of impaired memory, disorientation and confusion among an older group of patients that rarely get mentioned.

[oscarez]

maria381 doctors will kill you if you let them!!!

[oscarez]

"What it tells us is that statins might not be effective in slowing the progression of disease, but they might ... prevent disease," said Mary Haan of the University of Michigan."

"Might prevent disease"; What study? I''m sure this is a rebuttal by the drug companies of the University of Rochester study.

[cnetmt]

An article about a University of Rochester study saying "Statins May Spur Dementia" was posted the day before at http://www.newsmax.com/health/statins_spur_dementia/2008/07/25/116234.html
Who is correct???

[cnetmt]

Results of a University of Rochester Medical Center study by Dr. Steven Goldman([e-mail]), saying "Statins May Spur Dementia", was posted at http://www.newsmax.com/health/statins_spur_dementia/2008/07/25/116234.html?s=sp&promo_code=66AB-1
the day before!!!

[talkingham]

In addition to looking at statins they really should take a look at all of the poly-unsaturated oil Americans consume. This stuff is completely unnatural but because big food knows they can use the term "low fat" to sell anything we''ve become a nation consuming some of the weirdest and unlikely oils ever dreamed of. Just read the labels, I know we all love consuming cottonseed oil. Many researchers feel the unsats are a real problem for the immune system and elsewhere in the body. Most are rancid when consumed or injected into products, enjoy!

[mitchg47]

All the debilitating side-effects of statin drugs are well documented. The benefits of of niacin therapy have been shown over the last 60 years to be superior to statins, while niacin''s initial side-effects can be bothersome, they are generally harmless(see www.cholesterolscore.com ).

Reports of niacin''s link to dementia prevention is also well documented.

[jayemcee--2008]

There is far more clinical evidence to suggest that statins are indeed linked to the onset of Alzheimer''s, Parkinson''s and Lou Gehrig''s disease (ALS) Where are the accepted clinical studies to show that statins can and do protect people from neurological deterioration? Drug company sponsored research is not carried out because drug makers are philanthropic societies. They sponsor research to bring in the results they demand from the research teams who are paid handsomely for doing their bidding. More statin marketing by a rapacious pharmaceutical industry, where the raison d''jtre is to make vast profits despite the human cost. Putting healthy people on chemistry altering drugs, for life, is not the way to achieve good health. Statins are dangerously toxic preparations and they can only hasten death. Clinical evidence underpins this statement and drug companies will say anything to hide the truth from the public.

[baileyccc]

This is classic disinformation by the propaganda right arm of Big Pharma WebMD to promote the poisonous statin drugs. If you believe synthetic drugs that are unnatural for the human body and are so damaging to the liver will prevent anything with long term use, then be my guest and fill their coffers at the price of your long term health.