Starting statin treatment soon after a type 2 diabetes diagnosis was associated with a reduced risk of developing dementia, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2026 and published in The Lancet Regional Health - Europe.
As populations age, the number of people living with dementia is expected to increase substantially. Because there are currently no effective treatments capable of preventing or reversing most forms of dementia, researchers are increasingly focused on identifying factors that could reduce the likelihood of developing the condition.
According to the Lancet Commission, nearly half of dementia cases could theoretically be prevented by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors. One of those factors involves managing cholesterol beginning in midlife.
"Detecting and treating high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) from midlife is one such highlighted risk factor," explained presenter, Doctor Tummas Ternhamar from Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark.
This issue may be especially relevant for people with type 2 diabetes. High LDL-C is common among these patients, while diabetes itself is recognized as a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia.
