Sign in to wowOwow

Enter the email address that you used when registering at wowOwow.
The password field is case sensitive. Click here if you have forgotten your password.

Please register for wowOwow

Newsletter subscriptions
Sign up to receive wowOwow's weekly newsletter and get our best picks delivered right to your inbox. Our newsletter content is hand-picked by the wowOwow editorial team and provides the top features, news, and commentary from our site. Subscribing to our newsletter is free and safe. We will never share your email or other information with a third-party without your direct consent.
By registering, you indicate that you have read and agree
with our privacy policy and terms of service.
Home › Style

Style | 03/31/2009 9:20 am

Combo Pill Said to Reduce Heart Disease

By The Staff at wowOwow.com
© Shutterstock

It can be overwhelming to keep track of all your pills, even if you’re healthy. Now a group of researchers reports a breakthrough: a single pill that contains five heart drugs in one — a statin, aspirin and three blood-pressure drugs that researchers suggest could someday be recommended for everyone 55 and over.

The scientists — who have just presented their findings at the American College of Cardiology and in the British medical journal The Lancet — have found that it can significantly cut the risk of heart disease in healthy people without side effects. The drug, called "Polycap," contains a beta-blocker, a diuretic, an ACE inhibitor, a statin and aspirin — all usually prescribed individually. It reduced heart disease by 62 percent and stroke by 48 percent in a study that tested more than 2,000 people, ages 45 to 80, who were healthy or who had one risk factor for heart disease.

"Before our study, there was no data about whether it was even possible to put five active ingredients into a single pill — in terms of feasibility, the bioavailability of different agents and possible interactions, but we found that it works," said the researchers. "And side effects were no different than when taking one or two medications," they added.

The biggest up side: How easy is it to just remember to take one pill a day? 

Read more about: Health, Heart Disease, Medical Breakthroughs, Medicine, News, Pills, Polycap

17 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

f p

Statins also are highly effective in reducing heart attacks, angioplasty, etc. according to a recent study reported yesterday. "The main Jupiter findings, published in November, were that the statin lowered the risk of heart attack by more than half and significantly lowered the risk of stroke, angioplasty, bypass surgery and death."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/health/research/30heart.html?ref=health 

By f p on 03/31/2009 9:34 am
f p
Also those of you in you 50’s and up might need to take an aspirin a day as a blood thinner. Ask your doc. 
By f p on 03/31/2009 9:36 am
HA BIBI

It can be overwhelming to keep track of all your pills, even if you’re healthy.

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Well that’s a mis-nomer. One would believe that if truly healthy, one would not require a mass indulgence in "Pills" How about a healthy diet and exercise……Works wonders and doesn’t require the use of "any" pills.

By HA BIBI on 03/31/2009 9:38 am
f p
That doesn’t always work Elaine—illness can strike anyone and medications are needed. A healathy diet and exercise are important of course but if ill see a doc and use the meds. 
By f p on 03/31/2009 9:42 am
HA BIBI
If illness strikes, that would then make you unhealthy, would it not? Thus then and only then would that warrant one taking pills. Point being the mis-nomer of stating that even if one was healthy, it can be overwhelming keeping track of all their pills…Trust me, if one IS healthy, they would not be taking pills and at best, not in amounts that would become "Overwhelming" to keep track of. 
By HA BIBI on 03/31/2009 10:07 am
f p
And what about estrogen for helping to control menopause, hot flashes etc.I suppose you are against that too, Elaine?  Healthy is also a relative thing—one person’s view of what constitutes health is not another’s. Taking calcium for example is a good for women in their later years—it helps stave off osteoporosis.  
By f p on 03/31/2009 10:27 am
f p
Also Elaine let me point out to you that I am healthy, eat well etc., yet decades ago I had a brain tumor—I now take maintenance medications to keep my endocrine system functioning. Under your definition I don’t really need these OR I’m not healthy. Correct? 
By f p on 03/31/2009 10:29 am
HA BIBI
Now in regards to your having to take medication to maintain your endocrine system, this tells me your endocrine system would fail without said maintenance. Therefore, if you did not take this medication, you indeed would find yourself in serious trouble. The point is that being, that your endocrine system is not healthy and functioning of it’s natural and designed purpose thus the need for medication to maintain regulation and functionality of it. This was my point, and not that one should "NOT" take medication.
By HA BIBI on 03/31/2009 10:54 am
HA BIBI
Wait a minute fp, lets keep on track here, deal? The article nor my posting to said article was ever in reference to one not taking medication. Therefore, you are veering off track and going down a road that is not pertinant. Re-read the mis-nomer. Firstly, a woman taking HRT requires the dosing of one pill daily, not a handfull. Taking Calcium for bone related issues is not medication but rather a natural "mineral" supplement. Now, if a woman has osteoporosis and is taking calcium to help build or maintain bone density, this tells you something is wrong with her system that requires an addition of Calcium aside from a normal healthy diet, whereas she would recieve the necessary daily requirement to maintain bone health. We all know there are various factors at play here, i.e. age being the primary cause and a natural process that occurs and can be alliviated by the betterment of taking care of your health throughout your life so as not everyone who enters later life necessarily, is resigned to Calcium supplements.
By HA BIBI on 03/31/2009 10:45 am
f p
To quote you: "One would believe that if truly healthy, one would not require a mass indulgence in "Pills"."  You’re implication is frankly taking pills is unnecessary. That’s the way I read it anyway. Sorry if I misunderstood.
By f p on 03/31/2009 10:52 am
HA BIBI

"One would believe that if truly healthy, one would not require a mass indulgence in "Pills"

By f p on 03/31/2009 11:52 am This fp is a true and correct statement. There was never a statement in my postings leading to an implication that the taking of medication was unnecessary. I stated that if one is "Truly healthy there is not a need for taking medications. It is common knowledge that if one has a system malfunction of any sort, it would be necessary for the use of medications and again one who has not had any systematic malfunction, would not find a necessity to take medication. 
By HA BIBI on 03/31/2009 11:05 am
Z ****
Medical conditions can be different from illness.   For instance, many women have hypo-thyroidism and have to take medication — that doesn’t make them unhealthy.  
By Z **** on 03/31/2009 10:32 am
HA BIBI
Their thyroid IS unhealthy, thus the need for medications to begin with!
By HA BIBI on 03/31/2009 11:52 am
deber B

A three in one pill!  This should delight the baby boomers…instead of buying three separate prescriptions you buy one.   Works for me!

By deber B on 03/31/2009 10:25 am
Jeannot Kensinger

Whatever works, ok by me. But dont tell us 5 years from now that this was a mistake and we should stay away from it.

By Jeannot Kensinger on 03/31/2009 10:51 am
12next ›last »