Statins could reduce the risk of dementia There were 5,516 new diagnoses of dementia during around 4.5 years of follow-up. The study found that those on high doses of statins reduced their risk of dementia by two thirds. Dr Tin-Tse Lin, who presented the findings at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress in Amsterdam said: "Previous studies had considered statin therapy to exert a beneficial effect on dementia. But few large-scale studies have focused on the impact of statins on new-onset, non-vascular dementia in the geriatric population. Patients who received the highest total equivalent doses of statins had a 3-fold decrease in the risk of developing dementia. Researchers said the strength of the drugs was key to their success. High potency statins such as atorvastatin and rosuvastatin showed a significant inverse association with developing dementia in a dose-response manner. Higher doses of high potency statins gave the strongest protective effects against dementia. The doses of statins which are classed as high, low and medium vary depending on the drug. Leading cardiologists have suggested that all over 50s should take statins because they are so effective at reducing cholesterol and cutting the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Currently GPs normally only prescribe the drugs to those with high or moderate cholesterol levels. But some experts believe the drugs are already prescribed too widely, and that their side-effects are underestimated. Last year medicines regulators in Britain said hundreds of thousands of people taking a common statin should have their dose reduced due to fears over side effects. They said patients taking the statin simvastatin at the same time as blood pressure drugs amlodipine and diltiazem were more likely to suffer aches and pains.