April 29, 2024

A New Hope: Diabetes Drug May Ward Off Dementia

” Since dementia establishes for years prior to medical diagnosis, there may be an opportunity for stepping in before it advances,” stated research study author Eosu Kim, MD, PhD, of Yonsei University in Seoul, Republic of Korea. “These results may suggest that we could utilize an individualized approach to preventing dementia in people with diabetes in the case that they have a history of ischemic heart disease or stroke.”
For the study, researchers took a look at the national Korean health database for individuals newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who did not have dementia. They were followed for approximately 10 years. Of the 91,218 individuals, 3,467 received the drug pioglitazone.
Throughout the study, 8.3% of the people taking pioglitazone established dementia, compared to 10.0% of those who were not taking the drug. After scientists accounted for other elements that could affect dementia risk, such as high blood pressure, cigarette smoking and physical activity, they found that individuals taking pioglitazone were 16% less likely to develop the disease than those who did not take it. The benefit was stronger amongst individuals who had a history of ischemic heart disease or stroke, with lowered threats of 54% and 43%.
The reduced threat likewise increased as people used the drug for longer durations. Individuals who took the drug for four years were 37% less most likely to develop dementia than those who did not take the drug, while those who took it for one to 2 years were 22% less most likely.
People taking the drug were also less most likely to have a stroke throughout the study.
Kim kept in mind that side results of pioglitazone consist of swelling, weight gain, bone loss, and heart disease, and more research is required on the long-term safety of the drug and whether there is an optimal dosage that might minimize negative effects while maintaining the benefits.
” These outcomes supply important details on who might potentially gain from pioglitazone use for prevention of dementia,” Kim said. “In some previous studies of individuals with dementia or at danger of cognitive decline who did not have diabetes, pioglitazone did disappoint any security against dementia, so its most likely that a vital factor impacting the effectiveness is the existence of diabetes. More research is required to confirm these findings.”
A limitation of the research study was info on drugs was based upon insurance coverage claims, so its possible that some individuals did not take the drugs as prescribed.
Reference: “Pioglitazone Use and Reduced Risk of Dementia in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus With a History of Ischemic Stroke” by Junghee Ha, Dong Woo Choi, Kim, Keun You Kim, Chung Mo Nam and Eosu Kim, 15 February 2023, Neurology.DOI: 10.1212/ WNL.0000000000207069.
The study was supported by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Research Foundation of Korea.

Current research study suggests a possible link in between the diabetes drug pioglitazone and a lowered risk of dementia in individuals with recently detected type 2 diabetes. In a brand-new research study, people with freshly diagnosed type 2 diabetes who took the diabetes drug pioglitazone were less most likely to later develop dementia than those who did not take the drug. The study does not show that the drug decreases the threat of dementia for people with diabetes. Throughout the research study, 8.3% of the individuals taking pioglitazone developed dementia, compared to 10.0% of those who were not taking the drug. “In some previous studies of individuals with dementia or at threat of cognitive decrease who did not have diabetes, pioglitazone did not show any security versus dementia, so its most likely that a vital aspect affecting the efficiency is the presence of diabetes.

Current research recommends a potential link between the diabetes drug pioglitazone and a lowered danger of dementia in individuals with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. The study, led by Dr. Eosu Kim from Yonsei University, examined information from 91,218 individuals over an average of 10 years, showing that those taking pioglitazone were 16% less likely to establish dementia.
A research study in the Neurology journal suggests that the diabetes drug pioglitazone might reduce dementia danger in newly detected type 2 diabetics, with advantages magnified in those with a history of ischemic heart illness or stroke. The drugs prospective side effects call for additional research into its long-term safety and effectiveness.
Individuals with diabetes are twice as most likely to develop dementia as those without the disease. In a new study, individuals with freshly detected type 2 diabetes who took the diabetes drug pioglitazone were less likely to later establish dementia than those who did not take the drug. The research study was published in the February 15, 2023, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The results were strongest amongst individuals who also had a history of stroke or ischemic heart disease, a condition brought on by narrowed arteries in the heart. The study does not show that the drug lowers the risk of dementia for people with diabetes. It just shows an association.