Icosapent ethyl for treatment of elevated triglyceride levels.

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Nelson SD, Munger MA

Icosapent ethyl for treatment of elevated triglyceride levels.

Ann Pharmacother. 2013 Nov;47(11):1517-23. doi: 10.1177/1060028013504079. Epub 2013 Nov 5.

PubMed ID

24259598 [ View in PubMed

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical trial data, adverse effects, and formulary considerations of icosapent ethyl for the treatment of high triglyceride (TG) levels. DATA SOURCES: A literature search with keywords Vascepa, icosapent ethyl, AMR101, and eicosapentaenoic acid of articles up to July 2013, along with the package insert for Vascepa and current guidelines for hypertriglyceridemia. STUDY SELECTION/DATA EXTRACTION: Two phase-III, placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, 12-week clinical trials were included in this review: the MARINE trial and ANCHOR study. The MARINE trial consisted of mainly overweight Caucasian men with fasting TG >/=500 and /=200 and <500 mg/dL taking 4 g/day icosapent ethyl, 2 g/day, or placebo. DATA SYNTHESIS: The MARINE trial showed a placebo-corrected median decrease in TG of 33.1% for patients receiving 4 g/day icosapent ethyl, with no significant change in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. TG was reduced by 19.7% in those taking 2 g/day. The ANCHOR study showed a placebo-corrected decrease in TG of 21.5% with a 6.3% decrease in LDL-C for patients taking 4 g/day icosapent ethyl as add-on to statin therapy. TG was reduced by 10.1% in those taking 2 g/day. The main adverse effect observed was joint pain (2.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Icosapent ethyl is effective in reducing TG levels without increasing LDL-C, and has efficacy similar to other TG-lowering therapies with fewer adverse effects or interactions.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Pharmaco-metabolomics

Drug	Drug Groups	Metabolite	Change	Description
Icosapent ethyl	Approved Investigational Nutraceutical	Triglycerides	decreased	Icosapent ethyl decreases the level of Triglycerides in the blood