Alzheimer's Disease

Frequently Asked Questions

27. Are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen effective against Alzheimer's disease? - cont'd

A clinical trial studying two of these drugs, Vioxx and Aleve, showed that they did not delay the progression of Alzheimer's in people who already had the disease. In another trial, testing whether the NSAIDs Celebrex and Aleve could prevent Alzheimer's in healthy older people at risk for the disease, the drugs were stopped, although subjects continue to be followed for safety. New reports showed that Celebrex was linked to an increased risk for heart disease and a preliminary review of the data on Aleve from the trial suggested a possible increased risk for heart disease and stroke. (Answer continues on next page.)