Many people lack access to important heart medications, study finds

Many people around the world are unable to buy Lipitor and other important medications that support heart health due to scarcity in some places and a lack of funding, according to a new study. 

Researchers from McMaster University reported that many low-income individuals and those in poorer countries are unable to obtain statin medications and even simple heart health remedies like aspirin because they cannot afford them.

They said that solving this problem could have a major impact on improving the heart health of millions of people around the world. Statins and aspirin are proven to be safe and effective, and they are relatively inexpensive.

Lead researcher Salim Yusuf called the data "disturbing," and said that they "indicate a need for systematic efforts to understand why even inexpensive medications are substantially underutilized worldwide. This is a global tragedy and represents a huge wasted opportunity to help millions of people with heart disease at very low cost."

Individuals who are having difficulty affording their medications may benefit from looking in to Canadian internet pharmacies, which generally offer significantly lower prices.