OT - One Pill Might Prevent Heart Disease

[OldLincoln]

I Just read an article re a "PolyPill" containing a cocktail of drugs that could help candidates for heart disease. PolyPill Article
If they can market it cheap enough it might do some good.

[DreamStalker]

Interesting approach ... but how do they deal with dosage of different meds in one pill I wonder? Also, some are allergic to the ACE inhibitor (Ramipril).

I guess for those who match the right dosage of each med and are not allergic to any of them, it would be great.

[Debjax]

I read that article, and was interested, but....as a general med for much of the population, I wonder how many would need the diuretic...also, the numbers were not as good as the hype started out....in each case, the benefit was less, in come cases significantly, than if the meds had been taken separately.

[OldLincoln]

The individual dosages must be some average and not apply to all, but if this became a standard and very cheap, it could help a lot of people who can't afford the total cost of all the individual pills. One of those Obama "95% will benefit and the rest of you can go to hell" things.

[DreamStalker]

The individual dosages must be some average and not apply to all, but if this became a standard and very cheap, it could help a lot of people who can't afford the total cost of all the individual pills. One of those Obama "95% will benefit and the rest of you can go to hell" things.

I thought that was a ResMEd thing

[gbuskirk]

All of the drugs in the Polypill are generic right now, and cost <$12 each for a 3 month supply at Sam's/Walmart (without insurance). The aspirin's even cheaper. The Polypill is not about cost savings, but about overcoming patient reluctance to take multiple pills. The CPAP crowd might not fit that demographic, but it's out there.

[purple]

The miracle is compliance, taking the basic stuff each day. For myself, I probably could not make without my plastic pill box with different compartments for each of the four times a day I take pills. I also take the maximum does of a cholesterol lowering drug. When I asked the cardiac surgeon who did my four way bypass what drugs he thought worked, he pointed to the Cholesterol Lowering drug and said, "I believe in this drug. This drug can improve your cardiac health." Cholesterol Lowering drugs are thought to be best when prescribed at their maximum dosage, with proper timely tests to detect liver damage. Eight years since by pass surgery and I am still pedaling my bicycle down the road.