Call for all over-50s to be given wonder-pill that slashes their risk of heart attack or stroke
ALL over-50s should get a four-in-one super-pill on the NHS to slash their risk of a stroke or heart attack, scientists say.
A polypill lowers blood pressure and cholesterol together and might cost as little as 30p a go.
GettyScientists believe up to 80 per cent of strokes and heart attacks could be prevented by giving a four-in-one super-pill to everyone aged over 50 in the UK[/caption]
Experts claim it could stop 80 per cent of the 200,000 strokes and heart attacks suffered in the UK every year.
The pill works by combining some of the UK’s most common meds including a statin and calcium channel blocker.
Millions of older people already take them as separate prescriptions.
A team led by University College London said millions more could start taking the pill earlier to head off future woes.
Their report in the British Medical Journal said just eight per cent of over-50s need to take them for it to work better than the current NHS mid-life MoT scheme.
Prof Sir Nicholas Wald already runs a private service offering the pills, and he estimates it would cost the NHS 30p to 40p per patient per day.
He said in the report: “We have the means to prevent most heart attacks and strokes — many more than are currently being prevented.”
“The status quo is not a justifiable option.”
His programme combines the drugs rosuvastatin, hydrochlorothiazide, amlopidine and losartan.
It claims to lower the risk of a heart attack or stroke by two thirds.
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