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Early statins tied to 15% lower dementia risk in type 2 diabetes study
Fox News • • health
Key Points:
- A large Danish study found that starting statin therapy within one year of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis is associated with a 15% lower relative risk of developing dementia over 10 years compared to delayed or no statin use.
- Even starting statins one to five years after diagnosis showed a 10% reduction in dementia risk, highlighting the potential benefits of earlier treatment.
- The study tracked 132,585 patients with type 2 diabetes and no prior statin use or dementia, with a median follow-up of 7.1 years, and emphasized a stronger effect in reducing vascular dementia risk rather than Alzheimer's disease.
- Experts note that while the study is observational and cannot prove causation, it supports considering statin therapy early in diabetes care as part of a broader strategy including healthy lifestyle habits to protect brain health.
- The findings align with existing guidelines recommending statins for many adults with diabetes to reduce cardiovascular risks, and suggest that earlier intervention may also help lower dementia risk.
