Polypill reduces heart attack and stroke risks

A "polypill" combining a statin with blood pressure drugs could prevent thousands of heart attacks and strokes every year, according to researchers. A UK study of 84 over-50s, published in the journal PLoS One, showed the pill could cut blood pressure and levels of "bad" cholesterol. The British Heart Foundation called for more research and said pills were not a substitute for a living a healthy life. This study at Queen Mary, University of London investigated a polypill containing a statin and three blood pressure drugs, all of which are already widely used. Patients were given either a polypill or a dummy pill once a day for three months. Their treatments were then swapped so that over a six-month period they would have spent half the time taking the drug and half the time taking the sugar pill. The results suggested the polypill reduced blood pressure by 12% and LDL cholesterol by 39%. Dr David Wald, consultant cardiologist, said: "The health implications of our results are large. "If people took the polypill from age 50, an estimated 28% would benefit by avoiding or delaying a heart attack or stroke during their lifetime." The doctors calculated that if half of the over-50s in the UK took the daily pill, it would prevent 94,000 heart attacks and strokes each year.