{"id":851239,"date":"2026-09-17T18:44:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T18:44:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/851239\/"},"modified":"2026-09-17T18:44:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T18:44:22","slug":"doctors-just-found-this-common-class-of-drugs-is-linked-to-lower-risk-of-dementia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/851239\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctors Just Found This Common Class of Drugs Is Linked to Lower Risk of Dementia"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s a lot to take in when you\u2019re diagnosed with type 2 diabetes<\/a>. The condition can impact several areas of your health, making it crucial to make changes to your diet and lifestyle to try to manage your blood sugar. But it also may involve taking medication\u2014and new research suggests that a common drug prescribed when someone is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes may have an impact on your dementia risk down the road.<\/p>\n

The drug in question is statins<\/a>, a class of medications with a wide range of potential uses. Statins don\u2019t directly impact blood sugar, but they can play an important role in managing heart disease risks in people with diabetes\u2014and, according to this research, may also impact dementia.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no doubt that statins are not used to the degree dictated by clinical guidelines,\u201d says Shoaib Afzal, MD, PhD<\/a>, study co-author and chief physician in the Department of Clinical Biochemistry at Herlev and Gentofte Hospital. \u201cNumber-wise, 50 to 75 percent<\/a> may not be receiving the statin treatment they should be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, no one is suggesting that you go on statins purely to prevent dementia. But if they\u2019re already on the table due to your type 2 diabetes diagnosis, these findings are worth considering. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n

Meet the experts: Shoaib Afzal, MD, PhD<\/a>, study co-author and chief physician in the Department of Clinical Biochemistry at Herlev and Gentofte Hospital; and Clifford Segil, DO<\/a>, a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center.<\/p>\n

What did the study find?<\/p>\n

The study, which was published in The Lancet Regional Health<\/a>, followed 132,585 people in Denmark diagnosed with type 2 diabetes from 2006 to 2019. During a follow-up period of about seven years, 2.7 percent of the study participants were diagnosed with dementia.<\/p>\n

Compared to people who didn\u2019t take statins, those who started the medication within one year of their type 2 diabetes diagnosis had a 15 percent lower risk of developing dementia within 10 years. Those who started statins later (between one and five years after their type 2 diabetes diagnosis) had a 10 percent lower risk of developing dementia over 10 years.<\/p>\n

Who should take statins?<\/p>\n

Statins treat a range of health conditions. These groups of people particularly, can benefit from them, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force<\/a> (USPSTF), American College of Cardiology<\/a> (ACC), and American Heart Association<\/a> (AHA):<\/p>\n

Adults with diabetes and high cholesterol. <\/p>\n

People with one or more cardiovascular disease risk factors and a higher 10-year risk of having a heart attack. <\/p>\n

People who have cardiovascular disease. <\/p>\n

People with high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. <\/p>\n

Why might statins lower the risk of dementia?<\/p>\n

People with type 2 diabetes have higher rates of dementia than the general population, making this an important group to study, Dr. Afzal says.<\/p>\n

\u201cStatins have long been thought to have benefits beyond the heart,\u201d he says. Statins can cause protective effects in the vascular beds of the brain and arteries in the limbs, Dr. Afzal explains.<\/p>\n

They can also lower the risk of stroke, which is a risk factor for dementia, says Clifford Segil, DO<\/a>, a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. Statins can also decrease the risk of heart attack, a health event that is also linked<\/a> with dementia, Dr. Segil adds.<\/p>\n

How does this fit into overall dementia prevention?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a stretch to say that putting yourself on statins will help magically erase your risk of dementia, even if you have type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n

\u201cPreventing heart attacks and strokes by treating high blood glucose, or diabetes, and by treating high cholesterol has been shown to prevent heart attacks and strokes but has not been shown to prevent dementia,\u201d Dr. Segil says.<\/p>\n

But there is a subtype of dementia called vascular dementia<\/a> that statins may impact, though. \u201cThe techniques to prevent vascular dementia are the same as preventing strokes and heart attacks,\u201d Dr. Segil explains. \u201cTaking a statin will decrease your chances of having silent strokes and then vascular dementia, but taking a statin is not an accepted technique to avoid Alzheimer\u2019s dementia or Parkinson\u2019s dementia at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ultimately, it\u2019s important to have an honest conversation with your healthcare provider about any medications you may need and why they\u2019re important for your health. Together, you can decide on the next steps that are right for you.<\/p>\n

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