Fixed-Dose Combination Therapy (Polypill) for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

CLINICAL QUESTION Is fixed-dose combination therapy (polypill) that combines antiplatelet, blood;pressure-lowering, and cholesterol-lowering medications into a single pill associated with improved cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors or reduced all-cause mortality or fatal ancl nonfatal CVD events? Is the polypill associated with an increase in adverse events? BOTTOM LINE Polypills are associated with greater reductions in systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol compared with usual care, placebo, or active comparators, but also with a 19% higher risk of any adverse event. Due to limited power from available evidence, the association of polypills with all-cause mortality or fatal and nonfatal CVD events is uncertain,