Prevention

Prevention

Although there is no strong evidence that any lifestyle change can prevent Alzheimer's disease, studies suggest that certain behaviors may help protect against mental decline. In particular, medications and lifestyle choices that protect the heart may be of specific importance. Various preventive drugs are under investigation, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory therapies.

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) as Prevention

In 2004, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) halted a large clinical trial that was investigating the use of anti-inflammatory drugs in preventing Alzheimer's disease. While prior data had confirmed that NSAIDs were not effective in treating AD, research continued to explore these drugs' potential preventive benefits.

The Alzheimer's Disease Anti-Inflammatory Prevention Trial (ADAPT) investigated whether long-term use of naproxen (Aleve) or celecoxib (Celebrex) could decrease the risk of developing AD. The NIH suspended this trial due to evidence that the NSAID naproxen was associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events among participants. (The evidence is not uniform; other research has not implicated naproxen as a cardiovascular risk.) No adverse effects appeared during this trial for the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib. However, safety concerns about this drug had been raised in other trials. Investigators did not believe that celecoxib's potential benefits outweighed its risks.

Heart-Protective Medications and Behaviors

The same lifestyle and medical choices that reduce risk factors for heart disease and diabetes may be important for reducing the risk for Alzheimer's disease. The following are some heart-protective medications that may also protect the brain.

Blood Pressure Drugs. Because high blood pressure is associated with increased risk of Alzheimer’s, researchers have been studying whether blood pressure medication can reduce this risk. In a 2006 study of patients who took high blood pressure drugs, researchers found that potassium-sparing diuretics reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by 70%. Beta-blockers and certain calcium channel blockers also helped to a lesser extent. ACE inhibitors appeared to offer no protection.