The Polypill. Coming soon to a pharmacy near you.
A new type of drug/pill is slowly wending it's way into the marketing hype and on to our doctor's rx pad--- the POLYPILL.
One is a single pill/drug with other drugs in it designed to reduce heart disease risk.
Here are a few comments made against the use of a polypill for heart disease:
"The entire concept of mixing different compounds into one pill is very poor medicine. It doesn't permit physicians to customize the dose for specific patients depending on the patient's specific risk factors. Without any data on the impact of real and non-anecdotal outcomes (like rates of heart attack and stroke) patients should be cautious when considering the use of this polypill-[...]"
http://www.mediadoctor.ca/content/article.jsp?intArticleID=521
A past president of the American Heart Association told reporters (about a polypill for heart disease):
"“This is not a tailored treatment, and it’s low doses. So in people with high blood pressure, it is not enough to lower their blood pressure. Or in people with high cholesterol, it is not enough to get them to the target cholesterol levels that their physicians would like to see.”"
What really gets up my nose about this is the idea that patients are too stupid or careless to take several pills at designated times of the day to PREVENT DYING!
Or wait! Maybe it's simply yet another way for the drug manufacturers to make money!
I wonder if BMS might decide to market a pill with Coumadin, a statin, a HBP med all combined. GACK
Watch the news for further developments for your health and safety AND increased earnings at BMS. (grin)
One is a single pill/drug with other drugs in it designed to reduce heart disease risk.
Here are a few comments made against the use of a polypill for heart disease:
"The entire concept of mixing different compounds into one pill is very poor medicine. It doesn't permit physicians to customize the dose for specific patients depending on the patient's specific risk factors. Without any data on the impact of real and non-anecdotal outcomes (like rates of heart attack and stroke) patients should be cautious when considering the use of this polypill-[...]"
http://www.mediadoctor.ca/content/article.jsp?intArticleID=521
A past president of the American Heart Association told reporters (about a polypill for heart disease):
"“This is not a tailored treatment, and it’s low doses. So in people with high blood pressure, it is not enough to lower their blood pressure. Or in people with high cholesterol, it is not enough to get them to the target cholesterol levels that their physicians would like to see.”"
What really gets up my nose about this is the idea that patients are too stupid or careless to take several pills at designated times of the day to PREVENT DYING!
Or wait! Maybe it's simply yet another way for the drug manufacturers to make money!
I wonder if BMS might decide to market a pill with Coumadin, a statin, a HBP med all combined. GACK
Watch the news for further developments for your health and safety AND increased earnings at BMS. (grin)
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