A widely available £1-a-Day Diabetes Drug may reduce the risk of developing dementia, according to a recent study published in the BMJ.

The research found that sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors, a class of drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes, could lower the risk of dementia by more than a third compared to another common diabetes drug, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors.

The study involved over 220,000 adults aged 40 to 69, followed for an average of nearly two years. During this period, 1,172 participants were newly diagnosed with dementia. Patients taking SGLT-2 inhibitors had a 35% lower dementia risk, with even more significant reductions observed for specific types: a 39% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 52% lower risk of vascular dementia.

These SGLT-2 inhibitors, including dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, ertugliflozin, and canagliflozin, are currently prescribed to manage type 2 diabetes, often alongside or instead of metformin. They work by preventing the kidneys from reabsorbing sugar, allowing it to be excreted through urine.

Previous research has indicated that diabetes is a risk factor for dementia, and some diabetes medications, like Ozempic, have shown potential in lowering these risks, although the exact mechanisms remain unclear. The recent study by Seoul National University College of Medicine in Korea suggests the dementia risk reduction was consistent across various demographic and health factors.

 

What do experts think about the £1-a-Day Diabetes Drug?

Experts speculate that the drugs might prevent brain changes associated with dementia, potentially by reducing inflammation, lowering cerebrovascular risks, or modulating brain glucose metabolism. However, further trials are needed to confirm these effects.

Dr Ivan Koychev, a senior clinical researcher at the University of Oxford’s Dementia Platform UK, highlighted the benefits of repurposing existing drugs, as they are already proven safe in clinical practice. He emphasised the importance of clinical trials to explore the potential of SGLT-2 inhibitors in reducing dementia risk.

This promising finding comes amid delays in the approval of new dementia treatments, such as lecanemab, which was recently blocked for use on the NHS by the spending watchdog.

 

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