The research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, investigated 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 regimen, experts said, reinforcing the need for a simpler, all-in-one drug that reduces subsequent cardiovascular events. “Although most patients initially adhere to treatment after an acute episode such as a heart attack, adherence decreases after the first months,” said Dr. Valentin Fuster, director of Mount Sinai Heart and director general of the National Center for Cardiovascular Research in Spain. . , said in a statement. “We aimed to have an impact from the start, and most of the patients in the study started taking a single polypill within the first week after the heart attack,” he said. The team of researchers analyzed a group of 2,499 patients over the age of 65 who had previous heart attacks. The participants, who were followed for an average of three years, received either a standard treatment or the simple 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. Additionally, there was a 33% reduction in cardiovascular deaths in the multipill group. However, the overall risk of death was not significantly different in either group. Notably, the team found that compliance with prescription multi-pills, which combine a blood pressure drug, a cholesterol-lowering drug, and aspirin, was higher than the control group. “The polypill, which is a very simple strategy that combines three main treatments for this type of patient, has proven its value because improved adherence means that these patients receive better treatment and therefore have a lower risk of recurrent cardiovascular events,” said Dr. María Castellano, the first author of the study. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 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 say the results of the new trial will be submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration in an attempt to gain approval.
