26 May 2011

Heart disease and stroke risk halved with ‘polypill’

The first international trial of a combined pill to prevent several serious conditions indicates significant benefits over the long-term at a cost of just 10p per day.

Successful trials of combined pill for stroke and other serious conditions (Getty)

The first international trials of a new polypill, containing both aspirin and statins, shows it could prove remarkably effective.

The study, published in the Public Library of Science One, found that people who took the combined pill over 12 weeks showed a ‘sizeable’ reduction in blood pressure and cholesterol, compared with those who took a placebo. And it found the drug could be even more effective for those people considered at high risk.

The polypill contains around 75mg of asprin, along with simvastatin and two other chemicals to lower blood pressure. Millions of people around the world are already prescribed separate drugs to combat the risk of cardiovascular problems – but experts think they could find it easier to take a single pill, which could also be made much more cheaply.

In fact, researchers think it should cost a few pounds a month – making it far more widely available to less wealthy countries. One Indian pharmaceutical firm has already pledged to make a polypill “as dirt cheaply as possible”. A combined drug called the Red Heart polypill is likely to be available in India soon, and other countries within a few years.

Dr Ted Bianco, from the Wellcome Trust, which part-funded the clinical trial, welcomed what he called the mounting evidence behind “the potential use of a new generation of combination products as a safe and affordable option in the battle against heart attack and stroke.”

Side effects

However there are some reasons for caution: the polypill can have significant side effects, including stomach irritation and coughs, affecting around one in six people. Around 20 people involved in the trial had to stop taking it because of adverse effects.

Dr Lorna Layward, from the Stroke Association said the drug might not be suitable for everyone, and more research was needed to ensure it was safe.
And health professionals said that although the treatment could help to reduce risk, they were no subsitute for living a healthy lifestyle – with simple changes like regular exercise, healthy eating and giving up smoking.