When observational data was analyzed prospectively from the database of German public health, the researchers found a reduced risk of getting dementia among adults having type 2 diabetes in comparison to those given poglitazone, i.e. Actos, Takeda for a prolonged period of time in comparison to adults having type 2 diabetes that were not taking the drug.

What the researchers found out

The lead researcher, Michael T. Heneka led his team in analyzing data sourced from 145, 928 adults who were aged at least 60 years. The study participants were found not to have dementia as well as insulin dependent diabetes. The conclusions were arrived at after using observational data sourced from the largest mandatory public health insurance in German, Allgemeine Ortskrankenkassen for the period between 2004 and 2010. In addition, the researchers also distinguished among the patients that never had diabetes as well as patients having diabetes that were not prescribed to take pioglitazone, diabetic patients who had a prescription of fewer than 8 calendar quarters for pioglitazone in addition to those patients having 8 or more pioglitazone quarters.

Cox proportional hazard models were used by the researchers for exploring the relative dementia risk incidence depending on how pioglitazone was used. The researchers were quick to note that using pioglitazone on long term basis was associated with a reduced incidence of dementia and this minimized the risk by about 47 percent in comparison to those patients that didn’t have diabetes. And for the patients diagnosed with diabetes and who were prescribed with pioglitazone for not more than 8 quarters, the risk of dementia was more or less similar as to those that didn’t have diabetes. Diabetic patients who didn’t get a prescription of pioglitazone had an increased risk of getting dementia of about 23 percent.

Treating diabetes with pioglitazone

Pioglitazone treatment of diabetes showed a great side effect as noted by the researchers. In addition, the researchers noted that the risk of getting dementia was reduced significantly by the treatment and prolonged treatment translated to a significantly reduced risk. The results of the study are a demonstration of the preventive effect associated with pioglitazone as noted by the lead researcher.

Ideally, this usually happens upon taking the drug just before the manifestation of dementia. As such, it offers great protection to the patients against Alzheimer’s which the most common type of dementia is. What actually causes this, whether pioglitazone has only protective effect for diabetes or works reasonably well also in non- diabetics are questions that are yet to find answers. All in all, there is no doubt that type 2 diabetes patients should consider using Actos as a means of preventing the occurrence of dementia.