small study last year in Alabama suggested benefit. The new study tested Polycap, a pill from India-based Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
that contains three blood pressure medicines (atenolol, ramipril and the “water pill” hydrochlorothiazide) plus a cholesterol-lowering statin.
It sells in India for about 33 cents a pill. Researchers enrolled more than 5,700 people, primarily in India and the Philippines plus Colombia, Canada, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Tanzania and Tunisia.