Polypills: Can they offer a potential approach to treat CVDs?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as heart attack and stroke, is a leading cause of deaths and hampering the quality of life in the US. Moreover, the disease will continue to afflict the lives of the people by 2020. 

High blood pressure, hypertension and high cholesterol are the major comorbidities of CVD, and they remain highly untreated. The associated diseases with CVDs cost the lives of thousands of people. 

A recent study, the PolyIran study, conducted to assess the effectiveness and safety of a four-component polypill including aspirin, atorvastatin, hydrochlorothiazide, and either enalapril or valsartan for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. 

Similarly, another study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed positive results of taking a polypill, aimed at reducing cholesterol and blood pressure levels. 

A fixed-dose combination therapy, oftentimes known as polypill strategy, has been under investigation to lower down the CVD burden, especially, in low-and middle-income countries.  

The reason many scientists are testing the waters is to improve the adherence of the different medications and to administer them into a single pill. Majorly, a polypill will help reduce the need for the plenitude of medications to tackle the disease as well as comorbidities. Moreover, it would also reduce the chances of side effects due to overdosing of medicines. A polypill will also curb the problem of expensive medications and would lessen the clinic visits patients need to make. However, the area is still at its infancy and has lots of research which needs to be done.