4p pill slashes the risk of heart attack better than aspirin

A BLOOD thinner that costs less than 4p per tablet is better than aspirin for preventing heart attacks and strokes in people with chronic artery disease, research suggests.

- By Storm Newton

Another benefit of clopidogrel is that it does not increase the risk of major bleeding — a common side-effect of many blood thinners.

The findings could lead to a seismic shift in treatment strategies in the UK and elsewhere.

For decades, people with coronary artery disease (CAD) have been advised to take aspirin to reduce their risk of a serious cardiovascular event.

But when the drug was compared with clopidogrel in a review of seven clinical trials involving 28,982 patients, those on the latter had a 14% lower risk of heart attacks, strokes and even death. Rates of major bleeding were similar between the two groups.