Statin use could reduce risk of developing Alzheimer's disease

Statins used to lower cholesterol have been found to reduce people’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a major new study.

Researchers at the University of Southern California found a link between statin use and a reduced incidence of Alzheimer’s, but highlighted that this varies between sex and ethnic group.

It was found that, of the 399,979 people in the study group, 1.72 per cent of women and 1.32 per cent of men were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease each year between 2009 and 2013.

While white men and women had lower incidence of Alzheimer’s than Hispanic and black study participants, researchers noted that statin use was higher in these populations, suggesting a link between the use of the drug and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Professor Julie Zissimopoulos, who led the research, said: “The right statin type for the right person at the right time may provide a relatively inexpensive means to lessen the burden of Alzheimer's.”

Researchers on the project used data collected by the US national health insurance provider, Medicare, for 399,979 people aged 65 or over in January 2006 who used statins to treat their high cholesterol but had not been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s before 2009.

Despite illustrating an “important trend” between statin use and a lower risk of Alzheimer’s, Dr Rosa Sancho, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, highlighted that no concrete conclusion could be drawn without extensive clinical trials.

She said: “These types of studies identify important trends, but cannot allow researchers to conclude a causal relationship between statin use and Alzheimer’s risk.

“This research differs from previous studies in the general population, as it focused on people who already have raised cholesterol, which is itself a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

“Until there is firm evidence from clinical trials, we would not recommend people take statins for the purpose of preventing Alzheimer’s disease.”

Dr Doug Brown, director of research and development at Alzheimer’s Society, added: “Their refreshing approach highlights that ‘one size fits all’ is not always a suitable approach to healthcare and this is likely to be the case when it comes to ways people can reduce their risk of dementia.

“However, their data does not provide direct evidence that statins can influence dementia risk – this question will need to be answered by clinical trials.

“We advise people to speak to their GP if they have any questions about cholesterol, statin use and dementia risk before making any decisions about their medications.”