The experts are still not sure, but it is unlikely that statins cause dementia. Dementia is a decline of mental ability. It happens slowly over time. Studies so far have not been able to prove that statins can cause dementia. Some studies even found that people taking statins had a lower risk of dementia.

Dementia is different from sudden memory and thinking problems. It is possible that statins cause sudden memory or thinking problems in some people. Experts looked into this problem. They found 60 people taking a statin who reported it during a 5-year period. Some of the people got better when they stopped taking the statin.

Sudden memory loss due to statins is very rare. This is especially true when you consider nearly 40 million people in the US take statins. It is also a very small number compared to how many people would die from a heart attack or stroke if they didn’t take a statin.  

Tell your doctor if you notice memory loss after starting a statin. Your doctor can help you sort out what might be causing it.

Don’t worry, statins won’t drain your brain.