The future of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease prevention: polyhype or polyhope? Tales from the polyera

Abstract

Recently society has been witnessing the rise of a new era in the prevention and treatment of the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease: the Polyera. This new era started when a promising concept - the Polypill - was introduced by Wald et al. in 2003. The Polypill is a theoretical combination of six pharmacological compounds (a statin, three different antihypertensives, aspirin, and folic acid) that in combination could reduce cardiovascular disease by more than 80%. Although the Polypill could theoretically be a highly effective intervention, it is not yet available in the market and its effectiveness remains unproven. In the population at large, cheap prizes may come at prohibitive costs. With frail elderly and population prevalences of co-morbidity far higher than in drug trials, rare adverse effects may be frequent. In December 2004, a more natural, safer, and probably tastier alternative to the Polypill - the Polymeal - was introduced. Contrary to the Polypill, the Polymeal combined 6 different foods (fruits and vegetables, almonds, chocolate, wine, fish, and garlic) that taken together in a regular basis could cut cardiovascular disease risk by over 75%. Polyproducts from the polyera in true populations might hide unexpected polyinteractions. In the polyera, polytrials will need to establish benefits, harms, and costs.