Statins and Alzheimers

[noelphobic]

I was having a discussion on an email group I belong to about statins. One of the members had been advised to take them but was unsure. One of the other members was very enthusiastic about them and said the following

Everything talks about this new wonder drug which is to be prescribed
hopefully to the nation as it does so many things. Besides lowering
cholesterol it relieves Alzheimer's, helps with Prostate Cancer and eases
inflammation as the things I remember off hand.

I had not heard of it 'relieving Alzheimers' and wondered if anyone knows anything about that? I'm not asking as I expect it to help my mum, more because this person is so evangelical that I would like to think that at least they might have their facts right!

The people on the other email group are not Alzheimers patients, they are diabetes patients.

Would be interested to hear people's thoughts/responses as always.

 

[nice]

Dunno what 'reliveing' alzheimers is supposed to mean, to my knowledge drugs can only slow the degeneration down. In that regard it'd be as good as any other drug that's available to do just that, at the moment, wouldn't it? Unless it seriously reduces the rate of decline.

 

[noelphobic]

Dunno what 'reliveing' alzheimers is supposed to mean, to my knowledge drugs can only slow the degeneration down. In that regard it'd be as good as any other drug that's available to do just that, at the moment, wouldn't it? Unless it seriously reduces the rate of decline.

Yes, I also thought that 'relieve' was a strange term to use. It's probably good for piles as well

 

[daughter]

Hi noelphobic, have you seen the Alzheimer's Society's page about this?

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/Mind_your_head/Common_questions/Medicines_and_supplements/statins.htm

 

[noelphobic]

Hi noelphobic, have you seen the Alzheimer's Society's page about this?

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/Mind_your_head/Common_questions/Medicines_and_supplements/statins.htm

Interesting article daughter, thanks for posting the link.

I think that there is a big difference between 'relieving Alzheimers' and 'possibly preventing Alzheimers'! As the person who sent the email was berating another member for being hesitant about going on statins I would have to say the words pot and kettle spring to mind! I will email the link to the diabetes group though.

I am on statins myself and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future but I can understand others being hesitant.

 

[Sandy]

Here's another good link to look at from the US-based Alzheimer's Association:

http://www.alz.org/Resources/TopicIndex/statins.asp

Take care,

Sandy

 

[jenniferpa]

The other thing to remember about statins is that there are some fairly common side effects that may not be tolerable. My mother was put on these and ended up with severe muscle pain, so she had to come off them, and that is quite a common side effect. Obviously all drugs have some side-effects.

Don't you hate it when people get all "evangelical" about drug treatments (or diet, or anything else)?

Jennifer

 

[noelphobic]

The other thing to remember about statins is that there are some fairly common side effects that may not be tolerable. My mother was put on these and ended up with severe muscle pain, so she had to come off them, and that is quite a common side effect. Obviously all drugs have some side-effects.

Don't you hate it when people get all "evangelical" about drug treatments (or diet, or anything else)?

Jennifer

Yes, I do hate it when people don't see both sides of the argument as I always try to. The person who posted the question has been far too nice in response to some of his replies! The person who was evangelical about statins told him he was being stupid for not wanting to try them and another person came on comparing it to people not wanting to let their children have the MMR vaccine. My son had all his vaccines but I did agonise about it and I know that some people believe that vaccines can cause diabetes. So therefore I would never try to make someone have their child immunised but I would give them my point of view in a non judgemental manner.

The person concerned was worried about muscle pain which is why he is hesitant about trying them.

Anyway I'm going totally off topic now so will shut up!

 

[noelphobic]

Here's another good link to look at from the US-based Alzheimer's Association:

http://www.alz.org/Resources/TopicIndex/statins.asp

Take care,

Sandy

Also interesting as this site quotes research which suggests statins may be valuable to those with Alzheimers. However it is based on very small studies. Also it doesn't actually say in what way it is beneficial. Certainly doesn't say that it 'relieves' it!

 

[BeckyJan]

David has been on statins for almost 10 yrs. - it certainly has not helped him to avoid Alz. Now he does suffer extreme muscular pain which we have always put down to either polymyalgia or now fibramyalgia. If I raise the question of muscle pain and statins, I somehow think I will be given a decision: Come off statins, relieve muscle pain, increase chances of stroke etc etc. !!!!!
Another thing to worry about.
Beckyjan

 

[Jodie Lucas]

statins

hello everyone,

Statins are used to reduce serum cholesterol levels in order to prevent the deposit of fatty plaques (aka atherosclerosis) in the arteries which can cause problems with blood supply and increase risks of a stroke. Atherosclerosis may precipitate a stroke or vascular dementia. However statins will not reduce the effects of vascular dementia, though there is some research to suggest that they may reduce the risk of developing vascular dementia due to the effect of statins described above.

Jodie

 

[Sandy]

In a remote corner of the Research section of the Alzheimer's Society site, there is a very interesting decription of a research grant of over £100,000 made in 2002 for a two-year study of the effect of statins on Alzheimers:

http://www.qrd.alzheimers.org.uk/researchdetail.asp?GrantsID=56

This grant was specifically aimed at examining the relationship between statins and the process that results in beta amyloid damage to brain cells.

There's also a bit more info in this news story from 2002 on the Society's site:

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/Research/Research_in_the_news/020601cholesterol.htm

It's a pity that the research grant page does not have a summary of the project's (which ended in 2004) findings. I'm not sure what the current state of research is on this.

My husband (who's father has AD) is also a type 1 diabetic and our GP put him on Lipitor six months ago. Luckily he has had no side effects, but the product leaflet does list potential side effects such as nausea, adbominal pain, muscle cramps, weakness or tenderness and more.

It may be shown by research in time that statins reduce the risk of AD - not preventing it, but possibly, for some people, delaying the onset or slowing the rate of progression.

Take care,

Sandy

 

[noelphobic]

My husband (who's father has AD) is also a type 1 diabetic and our GP put him on Lipitor six months ago. Luckily he has had no side effects, but the product leaflet does list potential side effects such as nausea, adbominal pain, muscle cramps, weakness or tenderness and more.

Sandy

My son is 18 and has type 1 diabetes and was called back to clinic because of 'high' cholesterol (which turned out to be 4.3!). My son and I were both reluctant for him to go on statins and luckily the clinic didn't try to push for this. He is going back in December to be retested but as he left home for uni not long ago I will be very surprised (but pleasantly so!) if his cholesterol level has come down by then!