STATEN ISLAND, NY — A combination heart drug known as a “polypill” reduced the risk of heart-related problems in people who previously had a heart attack and effectively reduced cardiovascular deaths, a new study found study
The research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, explored the feasibility and effectiveness of combining three different drugs commonly prescribed for those recovering from a heart attack.
Fewer than 50% of patients consistently adhere to this medication regiment, experts said, amplifying the need for a simpler, all-in-one medication that limits subsequent cardiovascular events.
“Although most patients are initially adherent to treatment after an acute event, such as a heart attack, adherence declines after the first few months,” said Dr. Valentin Fuster, director of Mount Sinai Heart and CEO of the National Cardiovascular Research Center of Spain. , he said in a statement.
“Our goal was to have an impact early on, and most of the patients in the study started taking a simple polypill within the first week after having a heart attack,” he said.
The team of researchers analyzed a group of 2,499 patients over the age of 65 who had previously suffered heart attacks. Participants, who were followed for an average of three years, were assigned either standard therapy or the single combination pill.
The study found that people taking polypills had a 24% relative reduction in the risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems. In addition, there was a 33% decrease in cardiovascular deaths in the polypill group; however, the overall risk of death was not significantly different in either group.
In particular, the team found that adherence to the polypill regiments, which combine a blood pressure drug, a cholesterol-lowering drug, and aspirin, was higher than the control group.
“The polypill, being a very simple strategy that combines three essential treatments for this type of patient, has proven its value because better adherence means that these patients receive better treatment and, therefore, have a lower risk of suffering recurrent cardiovascular events”, says Dr. José. María Castellano, first author of the study.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that someone in the US dies every 34 seconds from cardiovascular disease. Almost 700,000 people died from heart disease in 2020, accounting for 20% of all deaths.
The polypill is not currently approved for use in the United States. Reports indicate that the results of the new trial will be submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration in an effort to gain approval.