Inpharma 1548 - 29 Jul 2006

‘Polypill’ has potential to preventdiabetic complications

A daily ‘polypill’ consisting of a cocktail of inexpensivedrugs could prevent complications in individuals withdiabetes mellitus, according to JAMA.

At the Annual Meeting of the American DiabetesAssociation, the Association’s president, Dr Robert ARizza, proposed the use of a daily pill containingmetformin 1000mg, aspirin 75mg, a 40mg dose of ageneric statin [HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor] and a10mg dose of a generic ACE inhibitor. This pill would beinexpensive at a cost of about $100 per year, and couldreduce total serious diabetic complications by 23%.Over the next 30 years, the pill could save 1.2 millionlives, and prevent 4.5 million myocardial infarctions,600 000 cases of renal failure and 1 million cases ofblindness or eye surgery.

Dr Rizza stated that although the tools to reduce therisk of diabetic complications are available, the UShealthcare system needs to be reorganised to rewardprevention and optimum care. If the 20.8 milliondiabetic people in the US received optimal care,$325 billion could be saved over the next 30 years, andthere would be 3.5 million fewer deaths and 18 millionfewer life-changing diabetic complications. Althoughoptimal care for every diabetic person is currently anunachievable goal, more realistic goals will still result inthe prevention of many million diabetic complications.Kuehn BM. ‘Polypill’ could slash diabetes risks. JAMA: the Journal of theAmerican Medical Association 296: 377-380, No. 4, 26 Jul 2006 801002920

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Inpharma 29 Jul 2006 No. 15481173-8324/10/1548-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved