Statins and Risk for Alzheimer Disease

In a large, prospective study, use of statin cholesterol-lowering drugs was associated with reduced risk for Alzheimer disease, independent of the drug’s lipophilicity.

These authors investigated the associations between statin and nonstatin cholesterol-lowering drugs and the development of Alzheimer disease (AD). They also distinguished between hydrophilic and lipophilic statins, as the latter have greater brain penetration.

For a mean of about 9 years, investigators followed 6992 nondemented individuals aged 55 or older at baseline who were participating in the Rotterdam Study, a prospective population study. The investigators obtained information about medication use from automated pharmacy services and performed comprehensive screening and follow-up cognitive evaluations. They compared the risk for AD in participants with any prior use of cholesterol-lowering drugs and those with no prior use, accountin…

Reviewing Author

Gad A. Marshall, MD

Statins and Risk for Alzheimer Disease

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Reviewing Author