Long-term use of ibuprofen and other drugs commonly used for aches and pains was associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study published in the May 6, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Previous studies have shown conflicting results, but this is the longest study of its kind.
For the study, researchers identified 49,349 US veterans age 55 and older who developed Alzheimer’s disease and 196,850 veterans without dementia. The study examined over five years of data and looked at the use of several non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The veterans received medical care and prescriptions through the VA Health Care system.
The study found people who specifically used ibuprofen for more than five years were more than 40 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Results also showed that the longer ibuprofen was used, the lower the risk for dementia. In addition, people who used certain types of NSAIDs for more than five years were 25 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than non-users.
While other NSAIDs such as indomethacin may also have been associated with lower risks, others such as celecoxib did not show any impact on dementia risk. “These results suggest that the effect may be due to specific NSAIDs rather than all NSAIDs as a class,” said study author Steven Vlad, MD, with Boston University School of Medicine.
“Some of these medications taken long term decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, but it’s very dependent on the exact drugs used. It doesn’t appear that all NSAIDs decrease the risk at the same rate,” said Vlad. “One reason ibuprofen may have come out so far ahead is that it is by far the most commonly used.”
Observational studies such as this one must be interpreted with the understanding that they do not prove that an NSAID has a therapeutic effect. The study is subject to what is called “indication bias.” That means that it might not be the NSAID use that drove the lower risk of dementia, but rather something about the people who chose to use the NSAIDs that was responsible. These findings should not be taken to mean that NSAIDs should be administered to prevent dementia.
Source: American Academy of Neurology
Related stories:
Ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen may be equally effective at reducing risk of Alzheimer's disease
Different types of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin, appear to be equally effective in lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to the largest study of its kind published in the May 28, 2008, online issue of
Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Experts have debated whether a certain group of NSAIDs that includes ibuprofen may be more beneficial than another group that includes naproxen and aspirin.
Anti-inflammatory drugs do not improve cognitive function in older adults
The anti-inflammatory drugs naproxen and celecoxib do not appear to improve cognitive function in older adults with a family history of Alzheimer’s disease, and naproxen may have a slightly detrimental effect, according to an article posted online today that will appear in the July 2008 print issue of
Archives of Neurology.
A new century of Alzheimer's disease research
Imagine the day when a routine visit to the family doctor includes a simple blood test to predict the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). If the test returns a worrisome result -- too many sticky brain proteins that might begin to gum up memory and thought in 10 to 15 years -- a person could be offered an aspirin-like pill to keep those proteins in check.
Largest review of its kind associates anti-inflammatory drugs with reduced breast cancer risk
Analysis of data from 38 studies that enrolled more than 2.7 million women – the largest of its kind – by researchers at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, and the University of Santiago de Compostela reveals that regular use of Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with a 12 per cent relative risk reduction in breast cancer compared to non-users.
Common painkillers lower levels of prostate cancer biomarker
Common painkillers like aspirin and ibuprofen appear to lower a man's PSA level, the blood biomarker widely used by physicians to help gauge whether a man is at risk of prostate cancer.
Obesity raises risks of serious digestive health concerns
The prevalence of obesity and overweight in the United States coupled by the increased risk of gastrointestinal diseases related to obesity raises serious implications for the health of Americans. Several scientific studies in the August issue of
The American Journal of Gastroenterology examine the association between obesity and the risk of colorectal cancer and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.
Aspirin, acid blocker a-day keeps GI bleeding
For patients with clogged heart arteries who take long-term, low-dose aspirin to prevent a cardiac event, adding a stomach acid-blocking drug to their daily routine has been shown to reduce their risk for upper gastrointestinal bleeding – an infrequent, but serious side-effect of regular aspirin use.
Daily aspirin may reduce risk of common type of breast cancer
Taking aspirin on a daily basis may lower women’s risk of a particular type of breast cancer, according to results published in BioMed Central’s open access journal
Breast Cancer Research. In this large study, aspirin use was linked to a small reduction in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers. However, unlike in some previous research, aspirin and related painkillers were not found to reduce the total risk of breast cancer.