Polypill to Extend Your Lifespan

A new study done by the researchers from the Queen Mary University of London claims that, " A polypiill containing four different medicines had a close association in reducing both blood pressure and cholesterol  levels in patients who have never been a victim of heart disease."

This four component polypill was given to people of the age of 50 can extend the life of more than a one in four by 11 years.

The researchers were able to device a result based on the trial carried out by academics at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, part of Queen Mary, University of London.

The Polypill, a tri-layered tablet, contains three blood pressure lowering medicines namely amlodipine, losartan and hydrochlorothiazide and a statin for lowering cholesterol. The people without a history of cardiovascular disease aged 50 or more were given this polypill. On doing so, the researchers noticed that these people experienced a 12 percent reduction in blood pressure and a 39 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol, achieving levels typical of people aged 20 years.

Dr David Wald, Sir Nicholas's son and the study's lead researcher, added: 'This has the potential to have a massive impact in reducing a person's risk of a heart attack or stroke. It is a pill to prevent people from becoming patients and from dying from two of the most common causes of death in the world.'

"The health implications of our results are large. If people took the Polypill from age 50, an estimated 28 percent would benefit by avoiding or delaying a heart attack or stroke during their lifetime; on average, those who benefit would gain 11 years of life without a heart attack or stroke," said Dr David Wald.

The doctors calculated that if half of the over-50s in the UK took the daily pill, it would prevent 94,000 heart attacks and strokes each year.

The kind of study conducted by the researchers was a randomised placebo-controlled cross-over trial. In this each subject consumed the Polypill for three months and a placebo i.e dummy pill, for three months in random sequence. The cross-over design and the high observance to treatment among the participants meant that the trial produced highly accurate and reliable results with each person acting as his or her own control.

David Taylor, Professor of Pharmaceutical and Public Health Policy at University College London, and a participant in the trial concluded saying, "The Polypill concept is a major public health advance. This study shows that it works. The Polypill should be made generally available as a matter of urgency. I welcome the opportunity to substantially cut my risk of having a stroke or heart attack without the disempowering fuss and bother usually required to obtain preventive medicines."