By Morgan Nwanguma
Starting statin treatment soon after a diagnosis of type2 diabetes may offer benefits beyond protecting cardiovascular health. A nationwide Danish study involving more than 132,000 people found that those who began statin therapy within one year of their diabetes diagnosis had a 15% lower relative risk of developing dementia over the following 10 years compared with those who did not start treatment.
The findings, presented at the ESC Congress 2026 and published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, suggest that timely cholesterol management could potentially play a role in reducing dementia risk among people with type2 diabetes.
As populations around the world continue to age, the number of people living with dementia is expected to rise substantially. With no effective treatments currently available to prevent or reverse most forms of dementia, researchers are increasingly examining modifiable risk factors that could help 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. Managing cholesterol levels from midlife is among the factors identified as potentially important.
“Detecting and treating high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) from midlife, is one such highlighted risk factor,” said the study presenter, Dr Tummas Ternhamar of Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark.
The issue may be particularly relevant for people with type2 diabetes. Elevated LDL-C is common among people with the condition, while diabetes itself is associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
“We hypothesized that early initiation of LDL-C-lowering statins following type2 diabetes diagnosis could be associated with a lower risk of dementia,” Dr Ternhamar explained.
The researchers investigated the hypothesis using a large nationwide study and statistical methods designed to emulate a randomized clinical trial, thereby reducing some of the biases commonly associated with observational research.
Study Tracked More Than 132,000 People
Using Danish national health registers, the researchers identified 132,585 people who had not previously used statins and who were diagnosed with type2 diabetes between 2006 and 2019.
The participants were followed until the end of 2021, with medical records reviewed for diagnoses of all-cause dementia. Researchers used a clone-censor-weight study design to compare dementia rates according to when participants started statin treatment.
Participants were divided into three groups: those who did not start statins within five years of their diabetes diagnosis; those who began treatment within one year of diagnosis; and those who started statins later, between one and five years after diagnosis.
During a median follow-up of 7.1 years, 2.7% of participants developed dementia.
Earlier Statin Treatment Associated With Lower Risk
The study found that people who started statins within the first year after being diagnosed with type2 diabetes had a 15% lower relative risk of developing dementia over 10 years compared with those who did not begin statin therapy.
Starting treatment later was also associated with a lower risk, although the reduction was smaller. Participants who began statins between one and five years after their diabetes diagnosis had a 10% lower relative risk of dementia over 10 years. The researchers reported similar findings among both women and men.
Dr Ternhamar said the findings indicate that statin use among people newly diagnosed with type2 diabetes was associated with a lower risk of dementia, with the strongest association seen among those who started treatment earlier.
He noted that statins may be underused among people with type2 diabetes despite their established cardiovascular benefits.
“Our findings suggest another potentially important reason to ensure that patients with type2 diabetes and high LDL-C receive timely statin treatment,” he said.
Study Does Not Prove Statins Prevent Dementia
Although the findings suggest that starting statins earlier after a type2 diabetes diagnosis may provide benefits beyond cardiovascular protection, the researchers stressed that the study was observational.
As a result, the findings cannot prove that statins directly prevent dementia. Other factors that differ between people who start treatment early and those who do not may have contributed to the observed association.
Commenting on the findings, Professor Isabel Goncalves, a member of the ESC Communication Committee, said people with type2 diabetes already face an increased risk of dementia and are advised to lower cholesterol to reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke.
“This study suggests that starting statins soon after a type2 diabetes diagnosis may also be linked to a modest reduction in dementia risk, with greater benefit than delaying treatment,” she said.
Professor Goncalves noted that the potential significance of the findings is increased by the fact that statins are widely available and relatively inexpensive. However, she reiterated that the observational nature of the study means the results cannot establish a cause-and-effect relationship.
She said the findings should therefore encourage further research and help inform discussions between patients and their healthcare professionals.The research was supported by grants from the Danish Cardiovascular Academy, funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and the Danish Heart Foundation, as well as Herlev and Gentofte Hospital and several Danish charitable foundations.
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