A Polypill Containing Aspirin and Statins May Help Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Death

• Researchers report that a polypill containing aspirin, a statin, and blood pressure medications can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, and stroke.
• Experts say the pill could be a game changer in the fight to lower heart disease in the United States.
• They add that the study may also show that aspirin can be effective in heart health if used with other medications.

A single pill containing four different medications may reduce the risk of cardiovascular events by half.

That’s according to a study published this week in which researchers reported that a medication called a polypill — containing aspirin, a statin, and two kinds of blood pressure medications — reduced the risk of death by cardiovascular causes by 49 percent.

They added the drug cocktail also lowered the risk of heart attacks by 53 percent and stroke by 51 percent.

“This is one of the most important discoveries in three decades when it comes to cardiovascular disease — the number-one killer globally,” said Salim Yusuf, senior author of the study and a professor of medicine at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, in a press release.

“Wide use of this simple therapy can prevent between 5 and 10 million individuals from experiencing a stroke, heart attack, or dying from these conditions yearly,” he added.