Researchers at a cardiovascular research center in Spain found that tablets combining three active substances reduced relapse rates after a heart attack. The findings appeared in a major medical journal.
In the SECURE trial, 2499 heart attack survivors from seven European countries participated. Countries included Spain, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, France, Poland, and Hungary. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either standard therapy or a single pill that combined aspirin, ramipril, and atorvastatin. The average participant was 76 years old. About one in three were women. A large share had high blood pressure, diabetes, and a history of smoking. Patients were followed for three years from the start of treatment.
Those taking the single 3-in-1 capsule experienced a 24 percent lower risk of a combined outcome of death, heart attack, stroke, or blockage of a coronary artery compared with those on separate medications.
The standout result was a 33 percent drop in deaths from cardiovascular causes. In the standard therapy group there were 71 deaths, while the 3-in-1 pill group recorded 48 deaths.
Standard postinfarction care typically includes three different drugs: a medication to prevent platelets from forming clots, a drug to manage blood pressure, and a statin or similar medicine to lower cholesterol. Yet adherence remains a challenge, with fewer than half of patients sticking to the prescribed regimen. The simplification offered by a single combined tablet can make ongoing treatment easier and more reliable for patients recovering from a heart attack.