Dementia mortality is rising among people with type 2 diabetes

Dementia mortality among people with type 2 diabetes is increasing in the world’s wealthiest nations, even as deaths from cardiovascular diseases are declining. This is shown by a large-scale analysis published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, Reuters reports.

According to researchers, modern diabetes medications—including GLP-1 agonists—provide cardiovascular protection in addition to blood sugar control. Medications from the SGLT-2 inhibitor group have a similar effect.

The analysis covers data from 10 developed countries and 2.7 million deaths among patients with type 2 diabetes between 2000 and 2023. The results show an overall decrease in mortality from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes complications. At the same time, however, an increase in mortality from dementia and other causes is observed.

According to the authors, the reason is that new therapies successfully reduce cardiovascular complications but are not designed to protect the brain.

An editorial comment on the study states that if progress in treating cardiovascular complications has defined the current era of diabetes therapy, the next major priority must be the preservation of cognitive health.