Two Affordable Drugs Combined May Lower Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke, Study Finds

New Delhi: Early treatment with a combination of two affordable cholesterol-lowering medications—statins and ezetimibe—could significantly reduce the risk of recurrent heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular-related deaths, a new international study suggests.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death globally, with heart attacks (myocardial infarctions) being the most frequent acute event. Patients who survive an initial heart attack are at the highest risk of another cardiac event within the first year, due to increased sensitivity of the blood vessels and a greater likelihood of clot formation.

A study conducted by researchers from Lund University in Sweden and Imperial College London found that initiating combination therapy with statins and ezetimibe within 12 weeks of a heart attack led to better cholesterol control and improved outcomes. Specifically, patients who began this dual treatment early were more likely to reach target LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and had fewer repeat cardiovascular events and deaths than those who received delayed or no ezetimibe treatment.

While clinical guidelines currently recommend statins as the first line of treatment after a heart attack, the study notes that most patients fail to achieve optimal cholesterol levels with statins alone. Ezetimibe, a cost-effective oral medication that inhibits cholesterol absorption, can serve as a valuable add-on therapy.

“Despite strong evidence, patients around the world aren’t routinely prescribed both medications after a heart attack. This leads to avoidable heart attacks and deaths and increases the burden on healthcare systems,” said Professor Kausik Ray, co-investigator from Imperial College London.

The study, which analyzed health outcomes of 36,000 heart attack patients between 2015 and 2022, estimates that universal early use of ezetimibe in this population could prevent around 133 heart attacks per 10,000 patients within three years.

Researchers argue that these findings provide a clear direction for improving post-heart attack care. By updating treatment protocols to include early combination therapy, healthcare systems could significantly enhance patient survival while reducing long-term cardiovascular risks and associated costs.