Heart attacks and cardiovascular disease are some of the most dangerous health concerns in the world. They’re also incredibly common, being the number one cause of death in the country.
Researchers behind a recent study that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine devised a pill that can help people with a history of heart attacks stay healthy. The pill, called Trinomia, bundles three medications together and resulted in fewer heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular-related deaths.
This method of medication delivery is called a polypill, and it consists of grouping medicines into one pill, making the treatment process easier and less likely to forget.
The trial began in 2015 and consisted of 2,500 participants who were heart attack survivors and over the age of 65. Patients were randomized to take either the pill (a mix of aspirin, atorvastatin, and ramipril) or their standard treatment. Patients were then tracked for five years.
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Twelve-percent of patients in the control group experienced a cardiovascular incident when compared to 9% of those who took the polypill. Overall, the pill resulted in a 24% risk reduction. In terms of death, patients who took the polypill were 33% less likely to die than other patients.
“Treatment with a polypill containing aspirin, ramipril, and atorvastatin within 6 months after myocardial infarction resulted in a significantly lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events than usual care,” concluded the study’s researchers.
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The research is the first of its kind, with the medical community eagerly awaiting the results. While the drug is yet to be approved in the US (it’s known as Trinomia), these results will likely lead to more results and possibly a new form of treatment that’s effective and efficient.
