Prevention of stroke and heart attack: one tablet is enough
Polytabletka halves the risk of heart attack
British scientists are developing a miracle cure"Newspaper" based on the materials of The Daily Telegraph
British scientists are developing a pill that will significantly reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases and heart attacks. Researchers believe that the so-called polytablet is able to halve the number of strokes and heart attacks in middle-aged and older people.
The composition of the drug includes aspirin, three drugs to reduce blood pressure and a statin – a component that reduces cholesterol levels in the blood. A number of manufacturers are working on the production of a universal tablet, and it may appear on the market in two years. The tablet is designed for a single dose during the day, and its cost will not exceed one dollar.
During the study, more than 2 thousand people aged 45 to 80 years received either a polytablet or a combination of its constituent medications. Although the participants were found to be healthy, each had at least one risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease. For example, many people smoked, suffered from high blood pressure or had high cholesterol.
According to researchers, the use of a new pill that reduces blood pressure and cholesterol can potentially reduce the number of cardiovascular diseases by 62%, and the number of heart attacks by 48%.
Every year in the UK alone, about 200 thousand people die from diseases of the cardiovascular system, including strokes and heart attacks. If the results of clinical trials are positive, then in the UK alone, the pill will save tens of thousands of lives annually.
"We have been trying for a long time to create a drug that will reduce the number of heart attacks among the population," says Professor Malcolm Lo of the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine in London. "Our research has shown that it is quite possible to create an effective medicine without side effects."
The results of the study are published on the website of The Lancet magazine. The words of Dr. Christopher Cannon from Harvard Medical School are also quoted there. "The study gives hope that together with global efforts to improve nutrition and increase physical activity of a person, a new multicomponent tablet will one day be able to reduce the number of cardiovascular diseases in the world," the expert is sure.
Joan Murphy of the Heart Attack Survivors Association believes that high blood pressure and cholesterol are the main causes of a heart attack. "By combining several components in one tablet, we make it easier for patients to take medications," she said. However, at the same time, the doctor reminded that it is necessary to conduct a number of more studies to make sure that the medicine is harmless.
June Davison from the charity center British Heart Foundation also believes that the pill can potentially reduce the number of cardiovascular diseases. However, Professor Peter Weisberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, believes that it will take five or six years before experts will be able to test the effectiveness of polytablets.
Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru02.04.2009