This trial randomised Māori and non-Māori primary care patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease (either because of a prior event or with an estimated 5-year risk of a first event of at least 15%) to a ‘polypill’ (fixed-dose combination therapy containing aspirin, statin and two antihypertensives) or usual care for a minimum of 12 months. All patients had indications for all polypill components according to their general practitioner, and all medications (including the polypill) were prescribed by the patient’s general practitioner and dispensed at community pharmacies. At baseline, the use of all recommended cardiovascular preventative medications (antiplatelet, statin and two antihypertensives) was 36% (93/257) among Māori and 51% (130/156) among non-Māori participants. At 12 months, polypill-based care was associated with an increase in the use of recommended medications among both Māori (relative risk [RR] 1.87; 95% CI, 1.50 to 2.34) and non-Māori (RR 1.66; 95% CI, 1.37 to 2.00) compared with usual care. In a logistic regression analysis, the proportional effect of polypill-based care showed no significant heterogeneity by ethnicity.
