Stroke minimization through additive anti-atherosclerotic agents in routine treatment (SMAART) II: Rationale for a multi-country polypill phase 3 trial in sub-Saharan Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Global estimates suggest that sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) now has the highest incidence, prevalence, and worst survival outcomes of stroke. Fixed-dose combination pills, also known as "polypills", containing generic drugs: Aspirin, a statin, and blood pressure (BP) lowering medications may be a viable low-cost avenue to broadly improve medication adherence and consequently reduce further disability or death on a large scale among stroke survivors in SSA.

Objectives

The Stroke Minimization through Additive Anti-atherosclerotic agents in Routine Treatment II (SMAART-II) study seeks to deploy a hybrid study design to 1) demonstrate the efficacy of a polypill (Polycap ^®) containing fixed doses of antihypertensives, a statin, and antiplatele

SUBMITTER: Sarfo FS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12922694 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature