Can an old anti-inflammatory drug help prevent heart attacks? A review of 11 trials suggests it might.

If you have heart disease from clogged arteries, you know the constant worry about having another heart attack or needing another stent or bypass surgery. A new review of 11 major trials looked at whether adding a low dose of an old anti-inflammatory drug called colchicine could help. The analysis, which included data from over 30,000 people, found that colchicine was linked to a lower risk of major heart problems like heart attacks and strokes. Specifically, it reduced the overall risk of major heart events by 17% and the risk of events that also included procedures to open arteries by 23%. The benefit seemed to come mostly from preventing non-fatal events: it lowered the chance of having a heart attack and needing a coronary procedure. However, it did not reduce the risk of dying from heart disease or from other causes. The researchers conclude that colchicine reduces the risk of non-fatal events in people with heart disease, but more work is needed to figure out exactly which patients might benefit the most from adding it to their treatment plan.