Healthcare News

Ibuprofen 'associated with reduced Alzheimer's risk'
06/05/2008
New research shows that taking anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen could be linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer's.

Research conducted in the US has shown that ibuprofen could be linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer's.

A team made up of representatives from Boston University School of Medicine, Boston University School of Public Health and the Bedford Veterans Affairs Medical Centre found that patients who used the anti-inflammatory medication for more than five years were 40 per cent less likely to develop the condition rather than patients who did not use the medication at all.

During the study, some 49,000 Alzheimer's patients aged over 55-years-old and 196,000 control participants were investigated – they were divided into seven groups according to the length of time they were exposed to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID).

It was found that long-term use of NSAIDs was linked to a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's, compared with non-use of the drugs and that the risk reduction was more marked for ibuprofen.

However, the team warned that these findings do not justify using NSAIDs as a way of preventing dementia.

This follows news that a daily dose of aspirin may reduce the risk of a common type of breast cancer for elderly women.

Please click here for advice about how to find a nursing care home in the UK.