Last week, in a major policy change, the WHO included three fixed dose combinations of cardiovascular medicines or polypills on its revised Model Lists of Essential Medicines (EML) 2023 for use in primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases.
(For top health news of the day, subscribe to our newsletter Health Matters)
The WHO Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential Medicines noted the evidence from large randomised-controlled trials that the use of the polypill is associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular events, including fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction and stroke, and the need for revascularisation in primary and secondary prevention settings.