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Cholesterol treatment, including statins, may slow Alzheimer's disease progression
November 17, 2005Lipid lowering agents are associated with a slower cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2005; 76: 1624-9
Cholesterol lowering drugs, including statins, may slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, concludes a study in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
The research team assessed the degree of brain function loss caused by Alzheimer's disease in 342 patients attending a memory clinic. They then monitored the progress of the disease for almost three years. The average age of the patients was 73. Most were women.
In all, 129 patients had abnormal cholesterol levels, almost half of whom were being treated exclusively with statins. Of the remainder, 105 had abnormal untreated cholesterol , and 108 had normal cholesterol levels. Drug treatment included fibrates or statins, or a mixture of both.
During the three years, all the patients deteriorated, but the disease progressed significantly more slowly in the patients given cholesterol lowering drugs. Progression of the disease was rated at 1.5 points a year in those given the drugs, 2.4 in those whose cholesterol was not treated, and 2.6 in those with normal cholesterol levels.
The risk factor profile for Alzheimer's disease, including high blood pressure and diabetes, scarcely differed between the two groups with abnormal cholesterol levels.
The authors conclude that cholesterol lowering drugs may effectively slow progression of Alzheimer's disease, but suggest that a large trial will be needed to confirm their findings.
An accompanying editorial argues that it is still too early to definitively conclude that cholesterol lowering treatment is a valid option for patients with Alzheimer's disease.
The editorial also points out that the research was not able to isolate the potential advantages of the drugs other than their ability to lower cholesterol.
BMJ Specialty Journals
In all, 129 patients had abnormal cholesterol levels, almost half of whom were being treated exclusively with statins. Of the remainder, 105 had abnormal untreated cholesterol , and 108 had normal cholesterol levels. Drug treatment included fibrates or statins, or a mixture of both.
During the three years, all the patients deteriorated, but the disease progressed significantly more slowly in the patients given cholesterol lowering drugs. Progression of the disease was rated at 1.5 points a year in those given the drugs, 2.4 in those whose cholesterol was not treated, and 2.6 in those with normal cholesterol levels.
The risk factor profile for Alzheimer's disease, including high blood pressure and diabetes, scarcely differed between the two groups with abnormal cholesterol levels.
The authors conclude that cholesterol lowering drugs may effectively slow progression of Alzheimer's disease, but suggest that a large trial will be needed to confirm their findings.
An accompanying editorial argues that it is still too early to definitively conclude that cholesterol lowering treatment is a valid option for patients with Alzheimer's disease.
The editorial also points out that the research was not able to isolate the potential advantages of the drugs other than their ability to lower cholesterol.
BMJ Specialty Journals
Statins Current Events and Statins News RSSEarly end to key study on benefits of niacin, a B vitamin, in keeping arteries open was premature
Heart experts at Johns Hopkins are calling premature the early halt of a study by researchers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Washington Hospital Center on the benefits of combining extended-release niacin, a B vitamin, with cholesterol-lowering statin medications to prevent blood vessel narrowing.
Researchers mobilizing global resources to test new treatments for severe H1N1 infection
An important, ground-breaking initiative is unfolding in the global critical care community in response to the H1N1 pandemic.
Widely used cholesterol-lowering drug may prevent progression
Simvastatin, a commonly used, cholesterol-lowering drug, may prevent Parkinson's disease from progressing further. Neurological researchers at Rush University Medical Center conducted a study examining the use of the FDA-approved medication in mice with Parkinson's disease and found that the drug successfully reverses the biochemical, cellular and anatomical changes caused by the disease.
Statins show dramatic drug and cell dependent effects in the brain
Besides their tremendous value in treating high cholesterol and lowering the risk of heart disease, statins have also been reported to potentially lower the risks of other diseases, such as dementia.
Cholesterol-lowering medicines may be effective against cancer
Statins lower cholesterol by blocking certain enzymes involved in our metabolism.
Adding ezetimibe to atorvastatin improves lipid control
Adding ezetimibe to atorvastatin significantly boosted the attainment of lipid targets as specified by both Canadian and European guidelines in elderly patients aged 65 and older and the combination produced superior results than simply increasing the dose of atorvastatin alone.
Use of statins favors the wealthy, creating new social disparities in cholesterol
Since the introduction of statins to treat high cholesterol, the decline in lipid levels experienced by the wealthy has been double that experienced by the poor.
Women with Atrial Fibrillation Are at Significantly Higher Risk of Stroke and Death Compared to Men and Receive Less Attention
Even though the incidence of atrial fibrillation is higher in men than women, a review of past studies and medical literature completed by cardiac experts at Rush University Medical Center shows that women are more likely than men to experience symptomatic attacks, a higher frequency of recurrences, and significantly higher heart rates during atrial fibrillation, which increases the risk of stroke.
Pre-hospital organization: The first links in the chain of survival for heart attack patients
Mortality rate following a heart attack has fallen by more than 50% in Europe over the past 25 years. However, because only minor advances in the medical treatment of AMI are expected over the next decade, it is through organisational changes in the pre-hospital phase that mortality rate will continue this decline to below 5%.
Fatostatin' is a turnoff for fat genes
A small molecule earlier found to have both anti-fat and anti-cancer abilities works as a literal turnoff for fat-making genes, according to a new report in the August 28th issue of the journal Chemistry and Biology, a Cell Press journal.
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