Statin Therapy and its Impact on Cognitive Functions in Elderly Patients: A Current Systematic Review
Kemar Anthony Samuels *
Latin American School of Medicine, Cuba.
Antonia Lisseth Valle Villatoro
Universidad of El Salvador, El Salvador.
Sumera Afzal
Ziauddin Medical University (ZMC), Pakistan.
Farzana Rahman
Jalalabad Ragib Rabeya Medical College and Hospital, Bangladesh.
Benish Alam
Karachi Medical and Dental College (KMDC), Pakistan.
Atif Rashid
Caribbean Medical University, Curacao.
Ifeoluwa Busayo Fadeyibi
Windsor University School of Medicine, St Kitts and Nevis.
Ngozi Amanze
American University of Antigua, Barbuda, Antigua and Barbuda.
Tambi Isaac
Kabardino-Balkarian State University, Russia.
Jashanpreet Singh Ballagan
Windsor University School of Medicine, St Kitts and Nevis.
Sefiyah Lawal
American University of Barbados, School of Medicine, Barbados.
Agho Osamede
Oba OKunade Sijuade School of Medicine, Igbinedion University, Nigeria.
Ghulam Muhammad Humayun
American University of Barbados, School of Medicine, Barbados.
Olusayo Louise-Oluwasanmi
Howard University, USA.
Omolola Okunromade
Georgia Southern University, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Introduction: Statin therapy is a well-established treatment for cardiovascular disease, with potential implications for cognitive function. However, reports have been inconsistent regarding statin therapy's impact on cognitive function in elderly patients. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the current evidence relating to the cognitive effects of statin therapy in the elderly population.
Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the databases PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, up to May 2023. Eligibility criteria included randomized controlled trials and observational studies involving elderly patients on statin therapy, with a focus on cognitive function outcomes. Studies were excluded if they did not provide comparative data for elderly patients not on statin therapy.
Results: Out of fourteen studies, representing a diverse population of 68,724 participants, the majority suggested a neutral or beneficial impact of statin use on cognitive function in the elderly population. For instance, a large-scale study involving patients with cardiovascular disease demonstrated no adverse cognitive effects following statin therapy. Another study involving hypertensive elderly patients indicated a possible protective role of statins against cognitive impairment. On the whole, the results were heterogenous, with no substantial evidence pointing towards a harmful effect of statins on cognitive health.
Conclusion: The review provides evidence that statin therapy does not appear to negatively impact cognitive functions in elderly patients. Rather, the findings lean toward a neutral or potentially protective effect. Considering the global prevalence of statin use, these findings should reassure clinicians and patients about the cognitive safety of these medications. However, given the importance of this issue, further large-scale studies are recommended to confirm these findings and further elucidate any potential cognitive benefits associated with statin therapy.
Keywords: Statin therapy, cognitive function, elderly patients, systematic review, neurocognitive impact, cholesterol-lowering drugs, cognitive impairment