Polypillomania

Ever since the concept of the ‘polypill’ was introduced,1 2 it has maintained an almost magical hold over the lay press and many healthcare professionals. Entering the term into a search engine gives a rich yield of results, and the polypill has a presence on social media favourites including Twitter, Facebook and Wikipedia. With the announcement of another trial last month, the polypill is back in the news.3 Does it really deserve such hype?

The argument proposed in favour of a polypill is seductive – a single pill to reduce the likelihood of cardiovascular disease. Those in favour suggest that the combination of several evidence-based drugs would allow for a one-size-fits-all product that should improve adherence as well as providing a low-cost intervention that would help target those at highest risk in developing countries. However, the reality turns out to be not so straightforward, not least because we seem to have moved into a world of poly-polypills.

Existing trials (published and ongoing) of the various polypills target different populations, differ in the types and doses of drugs they include and measure different outcomes. Patients included in such studies have ranged from those who would not currently be considered eligible for antihypertensive or lipid-lowering treatment to those with established cardiovascular disease. Polypill formulations have generally contained simvastatin (at a dose no greater than 40mg), aspirin, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and a beta-blocker or a thiazide diuretic. The trials' focus has typically been on adherence, and impact on blood pressure and cholesterol. Comparators have been placebo, usual care/standard practice, or some of the individual components of the polypill. The latest trial to be announced (a 24-week double-blind placebo cross-over study) will assess yet another formulation (simvastatin 40mg, losartan 25mg, amlodipine 2.5mg, hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg) given to people aged over 50 …