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HAVING A HEART attack can be a scary and life-changing event. It’s not something you would want to experience again. Fortunately, scientists agree. And they’ve found an ingenious way to torpedo the chances of a second heart event.
Now we’re not talking about eating a heart-healthy diet or getting enough exercise—though both are helpful in reducing the risk of heart problems. A new study published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found a gout medication that can also lower the risk of serious complications like heart attack and stroke. Best part: it might already be at your local pharmacy.
With heart disease continuing to be the No.1 killer of men in the US, there’s no better time for some cheap heart health meds. Now before you rush to buy them, here’s what you should know.
The Gout Drug That Helps With Heart Health
Colchicine is an anti-inflammatory drug prescribed to treat gout. Prices vary depending on insurance but range between $5 to $69. And now researchers are finding evidence it can also do wonders for people with a history of heart attacks.
The study authors looked at data from 12 randomized controlled trials that followed nearly 23,000 people with a history of heart disease, heart attack, or stroke. Most of the participants were guys between 57 to 74 years old. They took either a placebo or the common gout medication colchicine for at least six months, usually at a dose of 0.5 milligrams once or twice a day.
People who took colchicine had fewer heart attacks and strokes overall compared to those who took a placebo. After crunching the data, they found that for every 1,000 person treated, nine heart attacks and eight strokes were avoided in people who took colchicine compared to those who didn’t take it. There were also no serious side effects of taking colchicine, although some people had mild stomach issues that didn’t last long.
While the researchers note that more studies are needed, they note the findings are promising in repurposing colchicine to lower the risk of heart disease.
How Would a Gout Medication Lower Heart Attack Risk?
Gout and heart attacks are, obviously, not the same thing. The study didn’t answer how colchicine helps, it only found a strong link between the medication and a lower heart disease risk. However, both conditions have one thing in common.
Both gout and heart attack are worsened by inflammation. “We used to think heart attacks were mainly about plaque formation and size, but it’s now clear that inflammation is a major trigger for plaque instability and rupture,” says Navjot Kaur Sobti, MD, an interventional cardiologist at Northern Westchester Hospital. “By calming that inflammatory process, colchicine may help stabilize vulnerable plaques and lower the chance of future events.”
“Chronic inflammation is now understood to be a significant contributor to the development of heart disease and to adverse cardiac events,” adds Cheng-Han Chen, MD, interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center. “Colchicine is thought to help reduce the risk of heart problems through its anti-inflammatory effect.”
What This Means for You
Doctors say the findings are promising. “It’s a small dose with a potentially meaningful impact,” Sobti says. Chen agrees. “For people with known heart disease at risk for future cardiovascular events, colchicine can potentially be helpful in preventing future events,” he says.
Still, that doesn’t mean people should discount the heart health basics, warns Sobti. These are your tried-and-true methods: not smoking, managing your blood pressure and cholesterol, staying physically active, and following a heart-healthy diet like the Mediterranean or DASH diet. “Those habits make the biggest difference,” he says. “It works best on top of a strong lifestyle foundation.” Plus, you’ll want to keep taking statins or aspirin if your doctor recommends it.
Of course, if you’re concerned about your health, it’s always a good idea to check in with a doctor. They can take note of your family and personal history, give you an evaluation, and recommend next steps from there. That might include a prescription for colchicine.
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, MS is the associate health & fitness for Men’s Health and has previously written for CNN, Scientific American, Popular Science, and National Geographic before joining the brand. When she’s not working, she’s doing circus arts or working towards the perfect pull-up.
