The pill to cure (almost) every ill

TAKING a "polypill" which combines four different drugs can cut people's risk of heart disease and stroke by half, the world's first international trial of the treatment has found.

The capsule, which contains aspirin and drugs to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, could potentially revolutionise the care of patients at risk of serious illness.

But campaigners in Scotland warned that people should not see the pill as an alternative to making healthy choices to improve their diet and take more exercise.

At present, separate pills are prescribed to millions of people worldwide to lower the chances of heart attack and stroke.

But for many years, researchers have been investigating the prospect of a combined pill, with some suggesting it could even be taken by everyone over the age of 55 to cut the risk of disease.

Many also believe that combining the medications in one pill could make it easier for people to take and stick with.

In the latest study, published in the journal Public Library of Science One, experts tested the pill in 378 people in countries including the UK and US who did not already need any of its components, but who had more than a 7.5 per cent estimated risk of cardiovascular disease.

The drug contained 75mg of aspirin, the two blood pressure drugs lisinopril (10mg) and hydrochlorothiazide (12.5mg), and 20mg of the cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin.

After 12 weeks, experts analysed the effect of the drug on blood pressure and cholesterol, and how well it was tolerated.

It did cause side effects, including stomach irritation and coughs, in about one in six people, and some participants stopped taking the treatment because of this.

But overall, the study found the risk of heart disease and stroke was significantly reduced.

Professor Anthony Rodgers, of the George Institute for Global Health, said: "The results show a halving in heart disease and stroke can be expected for people taking this polypill long-term.

"We know from other trials that long term there would also be a 25-50 per cent lower death rate from colon cancer, plus reductions in other major cancers, heart failure and renal failure.

"These benefits would take several years to 'kick in', but of course one of the hopes with a polypill is it helps people take medicines long-term."

Prof Rodgers said a polypill could be available in the UK in as little as one to two years. The cost could be as low as 2 a month per patient.

"There are large numbers of people who could potentially benefit from this type of treatment," he said.Professor Simon Thom of Imperial College London, who led the British part of the trial, said: "We now need to conduct larger trials to test whether these medicines are best provided in the form of a polypill, or as separate medicines, and whether this combination strategy improves patient adherence to cardiovascular medication."

Louise Peardon, of charity Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland, said they would prefer people took action to live healthier lifestyles rather than relying on drugs as a first resort.

"Things like the polypill are a good idea in principle, but the concerns would be around medicalising risk factors," she said.

"By promoting medical treatment for risk factors you risk making everybody a patient. "Our approach would be on the side of encouraging lifestyle changes first."

Andy Carver, of British Heart Foundation Scotland, added: "While the concept of taking one pill rather than many sounds appealing, this was a small study and we'd need to see results from much larger trials to determine the validity of its potential benefits.

"Medicines are not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle, which is a vital part of keeping your heart in good shape."