Icosapent Ethyl Reduces Low-Attenuation Atherosclerotic Plaque

Adding icosapent ethyl to a statin significantly reduced low-attenuation plaque volume in patients with cardiovascular disease and elevated triglyceride levels.

The recent REDUCE-IT trial (NEJM JW Cardiol Jan 2019 and N Engl J Med 2019; 380:11) showed that icosapent ethyl (IPE) — a highly purified eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester — reduced cardiovascular (CV) events by 32% in patients who had CV disease or diabetes and were taking a statin.

To investigate potential mechanisms of benefit of IPE in this setting, researchers conducted an industry-funded trial (EVAPORATE; NCT02926027) that examined changes in atherosclerotic plaque volume in 80 patients with documented coronary atherosclerosis (stenosis of ≥20% in ≥1 coronary artery) and persistently elevated triglyceride levels (median, 259 mg/dL). All patients were receiving statin therapy and were randomized to IPE (4 g/day) or placebo (four 1-g sof…

Reviewing Author

Karol E. Watson, MD, PhD, FACC

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBoehringer Ingelheim; Amgen; Novartis; Lilly; Amarin

Speaker’s BureauBoehringer Ingelheim

Grant/Research SupportNIH

Editorial BoardsCirculation (Associate Editor)