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Other
Possible Benefits of Statins
The benefits of regular statin use may extend beyond cholesterol
lowering to a reduction in risk for certain common age-related health
problems–including those as diverse as hip fracture, macular
degeneration, and dementia.
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HIP FRACTURE. Animal and in vitro study
findings suggesting that statins stimulate bone formation prompted
researchers to perform a case–control study to determine
whether statins might protect against hip fracture in patients
aged 65 or older who were using these agents as antihyperlipidemics.1
The study population included 1,222 patients who had been hospitalized
for surgical repair of a hip fracture (cases) and 4,888 matched
controls. Statin use during the 180 days before the date of
hospitalization was associated with a 50% reduction in risk
for hip fracture. By contrast, use of nonstatin antihyperlipidemics
during that same period was associated with only a minor reduction
in risk. The relationship between statin use and fracture protection
appeared to be causal: Risk reduction was even higher–63%–for
those in the highest quartile of statin use. Controlled trials
are needed to exclude the possibility of unmeasured confounders. |
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MACULAR DEGENERATION. A survey of 379
subjects aged 66 to 75 years showed that, among 352 nonusers
of statins, 76 (22%) had signs of macular degeneration.2
In contrast, among 27 statin users, only 1 (4%) had such signs.
After adjustment for CHD and smoking status, statin users' risk
for age-related macular degeneration was found to be one eleventh
that of nonusers. |
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DEMENTIA. In a recent secondary analysis
of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging, cohort and case-control
designs were used to compare statin use in 492 participants
with dementia (326 had Alzheimer's disease) and 823 controls
with no cognitive impairment.3
For subjects aged 65 to 79 years, use of lipid-lowering agents,
including statins, was associated with a 74% reduction in the
risk for dementia. The underlying mechanism for this effect
may involve a reduction of cholesterol turnover in the brain.4 |
References
| 1. |
Wang PS, Solomon DH, Mogun H,
Avorn J. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and the risk of hip fractures
in elderly patients. JAMA. 2000;283:3211-3216. |
| 2. |
Hall NF, Gale CR, Syddall H, et
al. Risk of macular degeneration in users of statins: cross
sectional study. BMJ. 2001;323:375-376. |
| 3. |
Rockwood K, Kirkland S, Hogan
DB, et al. Use of lipid-lowering agents, indication bias, and
the risk of dementia in community-dwelling elderly people. Arch
Neurol. 2002;59:223-227. |
| 4. |
Locatelli S, Lütjohann D, Schmidt
HH-J, et al. Reduction of plasma 24S-hydroxycholesterol (cerebrosterol)
levels using high-dosage simvastatin in patients with hypercholesterolemia.
Arch Neurol. 2002;59:213-216. |
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