This new pill may help prevent heart attacks

Heart attacks and cardiovascular diseases are among the most dangerous health problems in the world. They are also incredibly common and the number one killer in the country.

Researchers behind a study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine have developed a pill that may help people with a history of heart attacks stay healthy. The pill, called Trinomia, combined three drugs and led to fewer heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths.

Photo by Ryan ‘O’ Niel via Unsplash

This method of drug delivery is called polypill and consists of grouping drugs into one pill, making the treatment process easier and less easy to forget.

The study began in 2015 and consisted of 2,500 participants who had survived a heart attack and were older than 65 years. Patients were randomized to take either the Pill (a mix of aspirin, atorvastatin and ramipril) or their standard of care. The patients were then followed up for five years.

RELATED: Scientists ‘cure’ heart attacks in mice – are humans next?

Twelve percent of patients in the control group experienced a cardiovascular event compared to 9 percent of patients taking the polypill. Overall, the pill resulted in a 24% risk reduction. In terms of death, patients taking the polypill were 33% less likely to die than other patients.

“Treatment with a polypill containing aspirin, ramipril, and atorvastatin within 6 months of myocardial infarction resulted in a significantly lower risk of major cardiovascular events than usual treatment,” the study researchers concluded.

RELATED: Daily use of this common pill might have more risks than benefits

The research is the first of its kind, and the medical community is eagerly awaiting the results. While the drug has yet to be approved in the US (it’s known as Trinomia), these results will likely lead to more results and potentially a new form of treatment that’s effective and efficient.