Five-in-one pill halves heart attacks and strokes

Published on Monday 30 March 2009 22:47

AN ALL-IN-ONE "polypill" containing a cocktail of potentially life-saving drugs could halve rates of heart attacks and strokes in middle-aged and older people, a major trial has found.

The research in India involved more than 2,000 people aged 45 to 80 and was the most comprehensive study yet of the controversial "magic bullet" pill.

Scientists compared Polycap, a five-drug polypill, with combinations of its different components to assess effectiveness and safety. They concluded that if the pill was given to a population of healthy adults with at least one risk factor, such as raised blood pressure, obesity or smoking, it could slash the number of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular "events" by half.

Although the researchers did not look at death rates, an effect of this size could result in thousands of saved British lives.

Each year, almost 200,000 Britons are killed by heart and artery disease. A fifth of all deaths before the age of 75 in men and 10 per cent of those in women are caused by cardiovascular disease.

Since the study looked at a relatively low-risk population, it suggests the polypill might have a bigger impact in practice, across a wider group.

Another finding was that the pill caused no side-effects.

Polycap contains a cholesterol-lowering statin, aspirin to combat clotting and three blood-pressure lowering drugs.

Professor Malcolm Law, from the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine in London, said: "We have long advocated the polypill as a safe and effective way of greatly reducing the incidence of heart attacks and strokes in the population.

"This study shows it's possible to make such a product that is effective and doesn't have adverse side-effects."

He said a polypill would be easily affordable and greatly reduce the cost burden of doctors' appointments, blood and cholesterol tests and treatment. "These drugs are off-patent and cost pennies," said Prof Law.

In a higher-risk population, the polypill might be expected to reduce rates of heart attacks and strokes by about 75 per cent, Prof Law said.

The Indian Polycap Study, led by Dr Salim Yusuf, from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, looked at 2,053 people at 50 centres in India.

Writing in an early online issue of the Lancet medical journal, the authors said the effect of Polycap on blood pressure alone could reduce the risk of heart disease by about a quarter and strokes by a third in average individuals.

The reduced levels of "bad" or LDL cholesterol seen could lead to a 27 per cent reduction in heart disease risk and an 8 per cent reduced risk of stroke.

"This Polycap formulation could be conveniently used to reduce multiple risk factors and cardiovascular risk," the researchers said.

Joanne Murphy, research liaison officer at The Stroke Association, said: "High blood pressure and cholesterol are major causes of stroke and it is important that people take medication to combat these risk factors.

"By combining these medications in one pill, it will make it easier for people to take their medication."