ALL over-50s should get a four-in-one super-pill on the NHS to slash their risk of a stroke or heart attack, scientists say.
A polypill lowers blood pressure and cholesterol together and might cost as little as 30p a go.
Experts claim it could stop 80 per cent of the 200,000 strokes and heart attacks suffered in the UK every year.
The pill works by combining some of the UK’s most common meds including a statin and calcium channel blocker.
Millions of older people already take them as separate prescriptions.
A team led by University College London said millions more could start taking the pill earlier to head off future woes.
A shift from treating diseases to preventing them in the first place is one of Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s three keys to fixing the NHS.
The report in the British Medical Journal said just eight per cent of over-50s need to take them for it to work better than the current NHS mid-life MoT scheme.
Professor Aroon Hingorani said: “Current risk tools do not predict very well who will have a heart attack or stroke, because most occur in people with average levels of risk.
“It is time to do much better on prevention.
“A population-wide approach could prevent many more, and the drugs are off-patent so they are cheap.
“People could receive an offer of a polypill once they turn 50.
“They would not need a health check or test but only to answer a few questions to assess their risk of side effects.”
Report author Prof Sir Nicholas Wald already runs a private service offering the pills, and he estimates it would cost the NHS 30p to 40p per patient per day.
About 26million people in the UK are aged 50 or over – 40 per cent of the population – and the number of older people is increasing as we live longer.
Sir Nicholas said in the report: “We have the means to prevent most heart attacks and strokes — many more than are currently being prevented.”
“The status quo is not a justifiable option.”
His programme combines the drugs rosuvastatin, hydrochlorothiazide, amlopidine and losartan.
It claims to lower the risk of a heart attack or stroke by two thirds.
Maeva May, from the Stroke Association, said: “Fortunately many strokes can be prevented.
“Simple steps like eating well, staying active, not smoking, and limiting alcohol intake can help.
“The polypill could be a useful tool to support prevention, but it should complement and not replace healthy lifestyle choices.”
Professor Bryan Williams, chief medical officer at the British Heart Foundation, said: “The idea of using a polypill for everybody above the age of 50 years is one idea, but it won’t suit everybody and it is too early to call for polypills to replace the NHS Health Check.”
An NHS spokesperson said: “We would welcome further research to look at the clinical efficacy of a polypill.”
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