Four million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. With the population living longer than ever, that figure is expected to jump to 14 million by the year 2050.
A Canadian study found that a commonly prescribed class of cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins may help prevent Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
The preventive effect, however, was seen only in people under age 80, the investigators.
One problem with many studies that examine the issue is that they look at people in the population who were prescribed the drugs as a part of regular treatment.
It's possible that certain groups of people -- for example, those who are more educated or healthier in general -- might be more likely to be prescribed the drugs.
The only way to conclusively determine that it is the drugs themselves that lower risk is to randomly assign healthy people to take the medication and follow them over time to see if they develop the memory-robbing ailment.
Archives of Neurology February 2002;59:223-227
This sure does sound like a familiar story.
Premarin was one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the world. The drug companies however knew the writing was on the wall and sooner or later people would catch on that it was being vastly overused and causing many women to develop breast cancer.
So, what did the drug companies do?
They developed a new indication for estrogen replacement therapy and they provided some researchers with some funding. These researchers were able to generate some studies that were published that showed estrogen helped Alzheimer's.
Sales of estrogen therapy increased.
However, after many researchers questioned this indication, studies were done that conclusively demonstrated that estrogen does not help Alzheimer's.
This appears to be the same pattern the drug companies are following for their new darling drugs -- the statins.
The recommendation to treat Alzheimer's follows the drug company's successful change in the cholesterol guidelines which now makes their drugs eligible for half the population.
Folks, Alzheimer's is a serious problem. The number of people with Alzheimer's is expected to triple over the next 30 to 40 years.
However, there are some practical things you can do, other than drugs, to prevent it.
A previous study showed the odds of developing Alzheimer's were nearly quadrupled in people who were less active during their leisure time between the ages of 20 and 60 compared with their peers. This seemed to be true regardless of the type of activity, although spending time in intellectual pursuits appeared to be the most beneficial.
The study also showed that exercising the brain means more than hitting the books. In addition,
can all help keep the brain active.
Of course eating properly, is also important factors in preventing Alzheimer's, as low folate levels from vegetables have been associated with Alzheimer's.
Avoiding toxins like mercury, aluminum and fluoride are also important proactive measures to avoid developing Ronald Reagan's illness.
It is also important to note that estrogen has long ago been proven not to be effective at preventing Alzheimer's, that was just hype from the PR departments of the drug companies.
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