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Heart Health
Polypill may help prevent repeat heart attacks
- By Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
Research we're watching
Heart attack survivors who took a three-in-one "polypill" had fewer additional heart attacks and related problems than those who received standard care, a new study finds.
The study included nearly 2,500 older adults who'd had a heart attack in the past six months. They were randomly assigned to usual care (which included guideline-recommended drugs) or to take a single polypill. The polypills contained a blood pressure drug (ramipril, known separately as Altace), a cholesterol-lowering drug (atorvastatin, known separately as Lipitor), and low-dose aspirin, which helps prevent blood clots. Researchers followed participants for a median of three years.
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About the Author

Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
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