A tiny pill could beat heart disease

Americans today are dramatically less likely to die of heart disease than they were just a few generations ago.

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August 13, 2026 2:15pm EDT

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Heart disease has been America’s biggest killer for about a century. But here’s the good news: We’ve gotten remarkably better at surviving it.

For decades, some of the biggest advances against heart disease have come with a catch. The most powerful treatments can be expensive, require an injection or are simply hard for most to access.

But now, a tiny pill could change all of that.

Enlicitide is the latest breakthrough in a remarkable run of progress that has helped drive the US cardiovascular death rate down by roughly three-quarters since 1950. Vox’s Bryan Walsh follows that story from a lifesaving genetic mutation discovered in Dallas to statins, GLP-1s, and experimental gene editing. But the next great challenge may be less about what medicine can invent than who can actually get it.

Bryan’s reporting is a fascinating look at how an unassuming little pill could help us keep chipping away at the world’s deadliest disease. If you appreciate stories like this, consider signing up to be a Vox Member. Your support is crucial in helping us pursue journalism like this.

—Paige Vega, editorial director