surgery room photo by WHOPatients at risk of a heart attack who are having surgery can cut their death risk by 35 percent simply taking a drug called a beta blocker.

The cost: A dollar per patient.

The new study looked at the effect of beta blockers in nearly 39,000 surgeries. Similar studies since 1996, suggested the drug could lower death risk by up to 90 percent for those with known risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking.

(READ the story at NPR)

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