Metformin, SGLT2 Inhibitors Exhibit Significantly Lower Dementia Risk
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, July 15, 2024 -- Compared with other antidiabetic classes, metformin and sodium glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) exhibit significantly lower dementia risk, according to a review published online May 3 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Yongjun Sunwoo, from the College of Pharmacy at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the risk for dementia and Alzheimer disease (AD) associated with antidiabetic medication classes. Data were included from 16 studies with 1,565,245 patients.
The researchers found that the risks for dementia and AD were significantly lower with metformin and SGLT2is. Across diverse antidiabetics, metformin exhibited the lowest risk for dementia, while the highest risk was seen for α-glucosidase inhibitors. Across second-line antidiabetics, SGLT2is exhibited the lowest dementia risk. In the elderly (aged 75 years and older), a significantly higher dementia risk was seen with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, metformin, sulfonylureas, and thiazolidinediones compared with SGLT2is. Regardless of diabetic complication status or baseline hemoglobin A1c, dementia risk associated with metformin was substantially lower.
"Optimal glycemic control with appropriate pharmacotherapy along with endorsement of routine cognitive status monitoring in diabetic patients are imperative to enhance prognoses associated with diabetes mellitus-related cognitive impairment," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted July 2024
Read this next
Epilepsy More Common With Frontotemporal Dementia
TUESDAY, June 10, 2025 -- Epilepsy is more common among those with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) than among people with Alzheimer disease (AD) or healthy controls, according to a...
Preoperative Blood Pressure Strategies Yield Similar Postoperative Cognitive Results
FRIDAY, June 6, 2025 -- For patients undergoing noncardiac surgery, neurocognitive outcomes do not differ with hypotension-avoidance and hypertension-avoidance strategies...
Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Account for More Than One-Third of Dementia Risk
THURSDAY, June 5, 2025 -- A substantial number of U.S. dementia cases could be eliminated by mitigating modifiable cardiometabolic risk factors, according to a study published...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.