Cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by as much as 79 percent, according to researchers presenting at the American Academy of Neurology's 54th Annual Meeting in Denver.

"This study confirms and extends previous reports and is the largest study on this topic in the U.S.," said Dr. Robert C. Green of Boston University School of Medicine, the study's lead author. "It is also the first to include a large number of African-American families."

The study included 2,581 people, including 614 African-American patients, from more than 800 families, enrolled over six years at 15 medical centers.

Of those people, 912 had probable or definite Alzheimer's disease, while the other 1,669 family members did not have dementia.

Results were adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, education, history of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and genetic make-up.

Researchers found that, even in people thought to be genetically predisposed to the disease, the use of statins significantly reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

They also said statins provided the same protection for African-Americans, a group at high risk for the disease.

Cholesterol-lowering drugs other than statins were not associated with a reduced risk.

Other Sources: American Academy of Neurology