A study of almost 500,000 diabetic patients revealed that those who took particular drugs had a 22% lower chance of acquiring dementia. The medications, known as thiazolidinediones or TZDs, operate by lowering bad cholesterol and increasing blood flow to the brain.
According to the findings of the study, patients with Type 2 diabetes are more likely to acquire the neurological condition due to impaired blood circulation.
“Type 2 diabetes is related with an increased risk of all-cause dementia, including its two major subtypes, Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia,” stated University of Arizona lead author Dr. Jin Zhou. To improve blood glucose levels, TZDs target insulin resistance. They also help to reduce blood pressure.
The scientists claimed in a press release that since both disorders share similar physiological features, this older family of medications may successfully prevent dementia in high-risk individuals with mild or moderate Type 2 diabetes.
The researchers examined computerized data from the national Veteran Affairs (VA) Health system of 559,106 men and women diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes from January 2000 to December 2019. They analyzed the data to evaluate the risk of dementia in older persons with Type 2 diabetes who were treated with either a sulfonylurea (SU) or a TZD versus those who were only treated with metformin (MET).
The health of research participants was monitored for an average of almost eight years. According to the press release, after at least one year of medication therapy, using a TZD alone was related with a 22% decreased incidence of dementia from any cause when compared to metformin alone. Specifically, using a TZD was linked to an 11% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 57% lower risk of vascular dementia.
In contrast, persons who took both metformin and TZD had an 11% decreased risk of dementia from any cause. The risk of dementia was 12% greater in individuals who used a sulfonylurea medication alone. The researchers proposed that combining a sulfonylurea with either metformin or a TZD may mitigate this risk.
