Increasing appreciation for the role of single-pill combinations for the prevention of atherosclerotic disease: a pro-polypill polemic.
The polypill concept for atherosclerosis is based on the notion that a single pill containing multiple products that attack frequently encountered risk factors will provide important advantages as a preventive strategy, particularly in the developing world. Potential benefits include improved efficacy and greater compliance because of simplicity and reduced costs. Here, we briefly review the rationale for the polypill and the evidence supporting its value. We consider the polypill to be a major advance in combat against cardiovascular disease, with enormous benefits to global health to be expected from its use.
Departments of Medicine and of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: feldmanr@lhsc.on.ca.
Ross D
RD
Feldman
Department of Medicine and Research Center, Montreal Heart Institute and Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Stanley
S
Nattel
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055118:Medication Adherence; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents