Drug industry’s idea of prevention: Heap on the meds

Poor Poly

It’s time again for our favorite comic relief from the drug industry: the Polypill.

I’ve told you about the Polypill before – in 2003, 2006, and 2008 – and each time the components of the pill’s formula are a little different. That’s because several different teams are working on this concept of one pill that combines a cluster of different medications to reduce heart disease risk by half or 80 percent or some other made-up number that’s pure speculation and impossible to prove.

This time the Polypill research comes from Indian and Canadian researchers who have given it a new name: Polycap. A University of Auckland team tried the same thing last year – they named their Polypill the Red Heart pill.

Call it what you want, it’s always absurd. But always entertaining.

Polycap…rhymes with…

I heard about this newest version of the Polypill on NPR. When I went to the NPR website I found a print article that accompanied the broadcast piece. The article lead off with this question: “If you could take five heart medications in one cheap pill to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke without risking more side effects, wouldn’t you?”

I think they assumed the answer to that question would go something like: “Absolutely! Where do I sign up for this miracle pill?”

This time the miracle pill contains five medications: a cholesterol-lowering statin, low dose aspirin, and three different blood pressure medications. And the idea is that everyone over the age of, say 55, will take this pill and heart disease rates will magically drop to amazingly low levels.

And I think it’s right about here where the Polypill, Polycap – whatever! – starts to lose people. Because you’ve got to imagine that people with normal blood pressure will scratch their heads and wonder: Is it really a good idea for me to take THREE blood pressure drugs?

Good question.

In the NPR broadcast, the reporter asked this question of Dr. Salim Yusuf, lead author of the study, and he responded: “If you take people with normal blood pressure and give them three blood pressure lowering drugs, will their blood pressures fall in their boots and will they all collapse?”

And the reporter comes back to say: “They didn’t.”

So, let me get this straight: The standard of safety here is anything better than “collapse”? If the subjects don’t pass out then everything is A-OK? Would it be at all possible to set the bar any lower? Especially since the trial they’re talking about was only three months long and the pill is intended to be a lifetime commitment.

Down the drain

Most people aren’t aware that many prescription drugs drain off a portion of your body’s most-needed nutrients.

For example, in an article titled “Popular Drugs that Steal Nutrients,” Frederic Vagnini, M.D., of Weill Cornell Medical College notes that an ACE inhibitor (one of the three Polycap blood pressure drugs) can deplete stores of zinc.

So while you’re taking a daily Polycap, here are some of the benefits of zinc you might miss out on:

• Zinc is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that enhances the immune system and helps repair damaged tissues
• Zinc helps maintain healthy vision and reduces the risk of age-related macular degeneration
• Zinc inhibits abnormal blood clotting that contributes to heart disease

Amazing, isn’t it? You take a miracle pill to reduce heart disease risk, and you deplete a nutrient that helps prevent…heart disease.

Hmmm…where do I sign up?

Sources:
“Effects of a Polypill (Polycap) on Risk Factors in Middle- Aged Individuals Without Cardiovascular Disease (TIPS)” The Lancet, Published online ahead of print, 3/30/09, thelancet.com
“One Size Fits All? New Pill Combines Heart Drugs” Joanne Silberner and April Fulton, Morning Edition, NPR, 3/31/09, npr.org
“Popular Drugs That Steal Nutrients” Frederic Vagnini, M.D., Bottom Line Secrets, 3/1/07, bottomlinesecrets.com