Journal of the American College of Cardiology
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Apr 2014
Polypills: essential medicines for cardiovascular disease secondary prevention?
In 1977, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed its first Model List of Essential Medicines to guide countries in the creation of national formularies and policies for access, quality, and use of essential medicines as part of achieving the right to health. In 2012, the WHO announced its goal of reducing the number of premature deaths (<70 years) due to noncommunicable chronic diseases by 25% by the year 2025, including the indicator that 50% of eligible people receive drugs to prevent myocardial infarction and stroke. Despite the large body of evidence supporting the use of pharmacological treatment for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), substantial gaps in coverage of secondary interventions for prevention of CVD are widespread globally. ⋯ In November 2012, along with 5 other scientists, we submitted an application to the Model List of Essential Medicines to include polypill therapy for secondary CVD prevention. In July 2013, the updated 18th Model List of Essential Medicines was released without inclusion of polypill therapy for secondary CVD prevention. In this article, we argue that polypill therapy meets the criteria for essential medicines and that inclusion in the Model List of Essential Medicines will facilitate its access and has the potential to avoid a few million premature deaths and related morbidity from CVD at low cost.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Apr 2014
Multicenter StudyHow does the ascending aorta geometry change when it dissects?
The purpose of this study is to delineate changes in aortic geometry and diameter due to dissection. ⋯ Geometry of the thoracic aorta is affected by aortic dissection, leading to an increase in diameter that is most pronounced in the ascending aorta. Both spontaneous and retrograde dissection result in similar aortic geometry changes.