The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has approved a new drug that may reduce the risk of death from a second heart attack. Doctors gave the thumbs up to allow the drug to be prescribed. It also decreases the risk of suffering from cardiac arrest by 16%.

The drug works by maintaining cardiac blood flow and stopping new blood clots from forming. Often, patients take the drug for up to one year. NICE recommended that the drug is a cost effect medicine to properly treat heart patients.

AstraZenca, the wonder drug for heart patients was developed by scientists in the 1990s and has been approved in 35 countries. It is still waiting for approval from the US for and Drug Administration. The drug also has competition, from Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb which are also considered to prevent from heart issues.

However, NICE claims that this new drug is better than the current competition and has reduced the number of fatal heart attacks by 21%. Since NICE has approved the drug, AstraZenca is hoping that this will improve its chances of approval by the US FDA.