Re: Polypill in the news

From: BillK (bill@wkidston.freeserve.co.uk)
Date: Thu Jun 26 2003 - 15:18:32 MDT

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    Thu Jun 26, 2003 12:10 pm Randy S wrote:

    > Supposed to have statins, aspirin, and folic acid. But what else? As
    > usual with the media, the details are sketchy. Anyone know the
    > contents of such a polypill?
    >

    The research is published in the British Medical Journal

    http://bmj.com/content/vol326/issue7404/twib.shtml#326/7404/0

    Pill could reduce cardiovascular disease considerably.

    Taking a single combination pill daily could reduce the incidence of
    cardiovascular disease by over 80%. In the first of three articles in
    this issue, Wald and colleagues (p 1419) present the concept of
    combining six active components in one pill (the Polypill) taken every
    day from age 55, or sooner if people have a diagnosis of cardiovascular
    disease or diabetes. They argue that the combination of a statin, a
    thiazide, a blocker, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, folic
    acid, and aspirin simultaneously reduces four key cardiovascular risk
    factors: low density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood pressure, serum
    homocysteine, and platelet function. The authors' systematic review and
    meta-analysis of over 200 studies (p 1423) shows that the use of statins
    can lower low density lipoprotein cholesterol by 1.8 mmol/l, which could
    decrease the risk of ischaemic heart disease by 60% and stroke by 17%.
    Their examination of 354 randomised controlled trials (p 1427) found
    that giving drugs at half the standard dose can significantly lower
    blood pressure with minimal adverse effects, which in turn reduces the
    risk of stroke by 63% and ischaemic heart disease by 46%. In an
    accompanying editorial, Rodgers (p 1407) says that the Polypill may have
    enormous potential for preventing cardiovascular disease, including in
    developing countries.

    Follow the links for more details.

    Also BBC news item
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3019560.stm

    They are now planning trials of a polypill, so that probably means
    several years before it is readily available.

    But if you are at risk, then low-dosage aspirin and folic acid is
    available over the counter and would certainly give you some of the
    benefits.

    BillK

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