Sembra che sia stata finalmente inventata la pillola che previene tutti i mali. Somministrata a persone sane, a puro scopo preventivo, essa ridurrebbe dall'80 al 90% degli eventi cardiovascolari futuri in un soggetto ora asintomatico.

Sembra che un numero sempre maggiore di specialisti abbia deciso di introdurla nella routine prescrittiva. La polipillola contiene:

1. una statina (atorvastatina 10 mg o simvastatina 40 mg)
2. diuretico diazidico, mezza dose
3. beta bloccante, mezza dose
4. un sartanico, mezza dose
5. acido folico 0,8 mg
6. ASA, 75 mg

BMJ 2003;326:1419 (28 June)
A strategy to reduce cardiovascular disease by more than 80%
N J Wald, professor1, M R Law, professor1
Results The formulation which met our objectives was: a statin (for example, atorvastatin (daily dose 10 mg) or simvastatin (40 mg)); three blood pressure lowering drugs (for example, a thiazide, a blocker, and an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor), each at half standard dose; folic acid (0.8 mg); and aspirin (75 mg). We estimate that the combination (which we call the Polypill) reduces IHD events by 88% (95% confidence interval 84% to 91%) and stroke by 80% (71% to 87%). One third of people taking this pill from age 55 would benefit, gaining on average about 11 years of life free from an IHD event or stroke. Summing the adverse effects of the components observed in randomised trials shows that the Polypill would cause symptoms in 8-15% of people (depending on the precise formulation).
Conclusion The Polypill strategy could largely prevent heart attacks and stroke if taken by everyone aged 55 and older and everyone with existing cardiovascular disease. It would be acceptably safe and with widespread use would have a greater impact on the prevention of disease in the Western world than any other single intervention.

(segnalato da Marco Ragazzini)