High cholesterol increases dementia risk

High serum total cholesterol, especially at midlife, is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease.  Treatment with statins has been found to be associated with reduced risk of dementia in several studies, but there are some conflicting findings.

The following pages describe the current evidence that suggests assessment and control of cholesterol levels are important for reducing dementia risk and provide links to resources for health professionals and for patients.

Cholesterol and dementia evidence – what’s the evidence that cholesterol influences dementia risk?

Clinical resources for hypercholesterolaemia – assessment and management of hypercholesterolaemia

Cholesterol resources for patients – information on cholesterol for the general public