Combination of two cheap drugs could save lives after heart attack, study finds

For those who survive a heart attack, the risk of another one is highest in the first year. Photograph: DecaStock/Alamy

Thousands of heart attacks or strokes could be prevented and lives saved with a combination of two cheap drugs, a study suggests.

Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death worldwide, with heart attacks the most common acute event. For those who survive an attack, the risk of another one is highest in the first year because blood vessels are more sensitive, making it easier for blood clots to develop.