Statins May Indicate Reduced Dementia

These two studies raise more concerns than they solve. Why are larger doses of statins needed to reduce the risk of dementia. At the same time, other studies are finding more muscle and joint problems with the increased dosage of statins and more cases of type 2 diabetes.


This also raises the issue of which statins were being used by patient numbers, possible ethnic variables, and the correct dosage to cause the reduced dementia. I therefore agree with Professor Jose Gonzalez-Juanatey, University Hospital, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, who said, "These new data suggest that high-potency statins may reduce the incidence of dementia in patients with atrial fibrillation and in elderly patients. Nevertheless, before we can know for sure that statins may prevent dementia, a clinical trial confirming these findings is mandatory."


At the same time, Seth S. Martin, MD, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, who is conducting a systematic review of the literature on statins and cognition/dementia, said, “These current results fit in well with existing studies.”


This leaves things unsaid and especially what conflicts of interest have not been disclosed. While some statistics are shown for the different statins in the press release, no patient numbers are matched to the statins and an attempt to obtain to details of the two studies was unsuccessful. So I am left wondering who funded the study?


I am less concerned about these two studies having some solid evidence and the information not being cooked by Big Pharma than I was about the information I used in this blog. However, I remain concerned about conflicts of interest.

Statins Receive a Lot of Fuss – Justified?

Where some writers get their headlines, I am still trying to comprehend. This writer in Present eLearning states as her title “Should Statins Be in the Water?” has me very concerned and wondering why this could even be considered. For years, we have been taught that fluoride was necessary in our drinking water. Now that trend is slowly disappearing and more research is discovering some of the side effects of this that are not so healthy.

With statins and their side effects, I would fight this to the bitter end if I thought this writer was serious. We simply cannot allow this to happen, as our children do not need statins. One issue alone should stop this from happening and that would be if they included the wrong statins in our drinking water as this could exponentially increase the number of people developing type 2 diabetes. And we think we have an epidemic now. Certain fruits (grapefruit and its relatives) would need to be banned because of their potential deadly side effects when consumed by people on statins. See my blog here.

So when writers allow something like titles to be part of any discussion, they need to be called out about this. I have been carefully watching and since the publishing of this on March 12, 2013 and to-date have seen no one disputing this. Did Joy Pape, RN, BSN, CDE, WOCN, CFCN, PRESENT Diabetes, and Contributing Nursing Editor, really think that the title would go unnoticed?