Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., but an opinion piece in The BMJ argues that many deaths could be prevented by offering a polypill to all citizens over 50. This polypill includes a statin and three blood pressure-lowering medications. The authors suggest that if just 8% of this demographic accepted it, the benefits would exceed those of current monitoring systems. They assert that average-risk individuals are often overlooked by complex prediction tools, and the polypill strategy, likened to public health initiatives, poses minimal risks and costs while promoting prevention.
Most heart attacks and strokes occur in people with average levels of risk, said co-author Professor Aroon Hingorani.
It can be compared to public health programs such as vaccinations, reducing salt in food, and adding folic acid to flour, added Wald.
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