Statins not linked to cognitive decline in the elderly – Clinical Daily News – McKnight’s Long Term Care News

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There is no link between statin medications and cognitive decline in older adults, according to an observational study.

Australian researchers followed 1,000 elderly individuals for six years. After controlling for age, sex and obesity, they found no difference in memory and other cognitive changes between statin users and those who had never used such medications, reported endocrinologist Katherine Samaras, M.D., from Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney. There was also no difference in brain volume change between the two groups, she wrote.

In addition, the cholesterol-lowering drugs appeared to provide protection for people diagnosed with dementia risk factors such as heart disease or diabetes. These participants had a slower rate of cognitive decline when compared to their peers who had dementia risk factors and did not take statins.

Many factors can contribute to the cognitive symptoms that isolated case reports describe, Samaras said. What weve come away with is a reassurance for consumers to feel more confident about their statin prescription, she concluded.

The research was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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Statins not linked to cognitive decline in the elderly - Clinical Daily News - McKnight's Long Term Care News