Is Icosapent Ethyl Cost-Effective for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction?

Icosapent ethyl is projected to be cost-effective compared with the standard of care for high-risk patients.

The Reduction of Cardiovascular Events with Icosapent Ethyl-Intervention Trial (REDUCE-IT) showed that 4g of icosapent ethyl (a highly purified omega-3 oil) reduced cardiovascular events in patients with established cardiovascular disease or with diabetes and other risk factors in the background of statin therapy (NEJM JW Cardiol Jan 2019 and N Engl J Med 2019; 380:11).

In the current manufacturer-funded study, investigators sought to determine the cost-effectiveness of icosapent ethyl by considering healthcare gains (life expectancy and quality-adjusted life-years [QALYs]) balanced by cost, estimated using two different U.S. drug price sources: the SSR Health net cost and RedBook wholesale acquisition cost (WAC). Cost-effectiveness was meas…

Reviewing Author

Fatima Rodriguez, MD, MPH, FACC, FAHA

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardNovoNordisk; HealthPals; Novartis; Amgen

EquityHealthPals; Carta

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; American Heart Association–Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Editorial BoardsCardiology and Therapy