(Press-News.org) DALLAS, March 11, 2021 — Taking the triglyceride-lowering medication icosapent ethyl cut the risk of stroke by an additional 36% in people at increased risk of cardiovascular disease who already have their bad cholesterol levels under control using statin medications, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2021. The virtual meeting is March 17-19, 2021 and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health.
“Icosapent ethyl is a new way to further reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atherosclerosis or who are at high risk of stroke, who have elevated triglyceride levels and are already taking statins,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, M.D., M.P.H., lead author of the study and executive director of interventional cardiovascular programs at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Heart & Vascular Center in Boston.
Icosapent ethyl is a prescription medication that is a highly purified form of the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid. “It is very different in terms of purity compared to omega-3 fatty acid supplements available over-the-counter, and these results do not apply to supplements,” said Bhatt, who is also professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Icosapent ethyl was first approved in July 2012 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as an adjunct treatment to dietary changes to lower triglycerides in people with extremely high levels of triglycerides (higher than 500 mg/dL). Triglycerides are fats from food that are carried in the blood; normal levels for an adult are below 150 mg/dL.
In late 2018, the REDUCE-IT trial, an 8,000-person multinational study, demonstrated that icosapent ethyl could benefit people with heart disease, diabetes or triglyceride levels above 150 mg/dL and whose LDL (bad) cholesterol levels were already under control using statin medication. In the trial, adding icosapent ethyl (compared with a placebo) reduced the risk of serious cardiovascular events (heart attack, heart-related death, stroke, need for an artery-opening procedure or hospitalization for heart-related chest pain) by 25%.
In December 2019, the FDA approved icosapent ethyl as a secondary treatment to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events among adults with elevated triglyceride levels, and it is now recommended in some professional guidelines. Icosapent ethyl is not included in the American Heart Association’s 2018 Cholesterol Guidelines that were published online prior to the availability of the REDUCE-IT primary results.
In the current analyses, REDUCE-IT Stroke, researchers performed an additional analysis of the impact of icosapent ethyl on stroke in the same 8,000 participants of the original REDUCE-IT trial. They found:
the risk of a first fatal or nonfatal ischemic stroke was reduced by 36% for patients treated with icosapent ethyl;
for every 1,000 patients treated with icosapent ethyl for 5 years, about 14 strokes were averted; and
the risk of a bleeding stroke was very low, and no difference was found among those taking icosapent ethyl.
“Know your triglyceride levels. If they are elevated, ask your doctor if you should be taking icosapent ethyl to further reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke,” Bhatt said. “Your doctor may also recommend that you change your diet, exercise, lose weight if needed to lower your triglyceride levels, and may prescribe a statin medication if you need to lower your LDL cholesterol levels.”
“One study limitation is that icosapent ethyl may increase the risk of minor bleeding,” Bhatt added.
INFORMATION:
Co-authors are Gabriel Steg, M.D.; Michael Miller, M.D.; Eliot A. Brinton, M.D.; Terry A. Jacobson, M.D.; Steven B. Ketchum, Ph.D.; Rebecca A. Juliano, Ph.D.; Lixia Jiao, Ph.D.; Ralph T. Doyle Jr., B.A.; Craig Granowitz, M.D., Ph.D.; Jean-Claude Tardif, M.D.; John Gregson, Ph.D.; C. Michael Gibson, M.D.; Megan C. Leary, M.D.; and Christie M. Ballantyne, M.D. The author’s disclosures are listed in the abstract.
The study was funded by Amarin Pharma.
Additional Resources:
Multimedia is available on the right column of release link https://newsroom.heart.org/news/adding-triglyceride-lowering-omega-3-based-medication-to-statins-may-lower-stroke-risk?preview=c4781d575c8b7276e684e7ce0c9642af
Prescription omega-3 fatty acid medications effectively lower high triglycerides
Healthy habits still vital after starting blood pressure, cholesterol medications
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Statements and conclusions of studies that are presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific Association programs and events. The Association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and biotech companies, device manufacturers and health insurance providers are available here, and the Association’s overall financial information is available here.
The American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference (ISC) is the world’s premier meeting dedicated to the science and treatment of cerebrovascular disease. ISC 2021 will be held virtually, March 17-19, 2021. The 3-day conference features more than 1,200 compelling presentations in 21 categories that emphasize basic, clinical and translational sciences as they evolve toward a better understanding of stroke pathophysiology with the goal of developing more effective therapies. Engage in the International Stroke Conference on social media via #ISC21.
About the American Stroke Association
The American Stroke Association is devoted to saving people from stroke — the No. 2 cause of death in the world and a leading cause of serious disability. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat stroke. The Dallas-based association officially launched in 1998 as a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-888-4STROKE or visit stroke.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
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