The polypill contains blood-thinning aspirin, a cholesterol-lowering statin and two drugs to lower blood pressure. The researchers - in Iran and the UK - said the pill had a huge impact but cost just pennies a day.
They suggest giving it to everyone over a certain age in poorer countries, where doctors have fewer options and are less able to assess individuals. Coronary heart disease and stroke are the top two causes of death worldwide, killing more than 15 million people a year. Smoking, obesity and doing little exercise all increase the risk of an unhealthy heart.
