How Close Are We to a Cardiac Polypill?

Start with one part diuretic. Add one part ACE inhibitor, and sprinkle in one part beta blocker. Then add a dose of statins, and top it off with a portion of antiplatelets. Here we have the proposed recipe for a singular pill that some experts believe will eventually help us stick a fork in heart disease. Yet there are pharmacologic concerns and certainly clinical trials to pass before this drug comes to a practice near you. That said, it's fair to wonder: how close are we? Dr. Salim Yusuf, professor of medicine and the director of the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, is the lead author of one of the most recent polypill clinical trials, presented at the American College of Cardiology's 2009 Scientific Sessions. Dr. Yusuf joins host Dr. Janet Wright to give us an update on the global effort to create a polypill that will improve compliance, increase convenience and reduce cost.