Cholestrol lowering drugs may hold key for Alzheimer’s cure
Published: November 18, 2005
A recent study has found that the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, which causes a loss of mental functions due to the deterioration of brain tissue, may be slowed down, through the use of cholestrol lowering drugs, including statins. [Alzheimer’s Early Stages: First Steps for Family, Friends, and Caregivers]
The study was conducted on a group of 342 patients over a period of three years, and it was found that though the mental health of the patients deteriorated, the progress of the disease in the patients being treated cholestrol lowering drugs, such as fibrates and statins, was significantly slower.
Out of the total number of patients, 129 patients had abnormal cholestrol levels with almost half of them on an exclusive treatment plan of statins and it was found that the progress of the disease, with a rating of 1.5 points, was much slower than in those with normal cholestrol levels and those in whom the abnormal cholestrol levels remained untreated.
According to the study, a rating of 2.6 shows that the Alzhiemer’s disease’s progression was fastest in those patients with normal cholestrol levels. The study is to be published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.
However, the research team also points out that a larger trial would be needed to confirm the findings and that it is still too early to for any definite conclusion that the cholesterol lowering treatment is a valid option for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
If you enjoyed this good news Subscribe to Good News Blog
Share this
To share this simply copy and paste one of the below URL's: