PREVENTABLE — using a moderate‑intensity statin to prevent dementia in older adults

PREVENTABLE Administrative and Trial Management

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · DUKE UNIVERSITY · NIH-11179145

This project gives adults 75 and older who do not have known heart disease a moderate‑intensity statin to see whether it lowers their chance of dementia and helps them stay independent longer.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorDUKE UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (DURHAM, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11179145 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

You would join a large, multi‑center effort led by Duke and Wake Forest that enrolls people age 75 and up without clear coronary heart disease and assigns some participants to a moderate‑intensity statin while others receive usual care, then follows everyone for dementia and disability outcomes. The trial is pragmatic and designed to fit into routine care by using electronic health records, streamlined electronic consent, and partnerships with health networks to simplify participation. People with frailty, mild cognitive impairment, multiple medicines, or several chronic conditions are included so the results apply to typical older adults. Investigators will track diagnoses of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and measure years lived free of disability over several years.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 75 or older without clinically evident coronary heart disease, including those with frailty, impaired physical function, mild cognitive impairment, polypharmacy, or multiple chronic conditions.

Not a fit: People younger than 75, those with known coronary heart disease, those already taking high‑intensity statins, or those with medical contraindications to statins may not be eligible or benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lower dementia risk and increase the time older adults live without disability.

How similar studies have performed: Prior trials and observational studies of statins and dementia have shown mixed or inconclusive results, making this large pragmatic trial in older adults a relatively novel effort to provide clearer evidence.

Where this research is happening

DURHAM, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Alzheimer disease dementia, Alzheimer syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease, Alzheimer's disease and related dementia

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.