Clinical & Experimental Cardiology
Open Access

Abstract

Icosapent: New Panacea for Cardiovascular Risk Prevention?

Samer Ellahham

Residual cardiovascular risk despite intensive statin therapy necessitates additional management in patients with dyslipidemia. Icosapent, an ethyl ester of eicosapentaenoic acid, is approved for hypertriglyceridemia. It improves atherogenic dyslipidemia characterized by reduction of triglycerides without an increase in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The REDUCE-IT study reported significantly reduced risk of ischemic events, including cardiovascular death, with icosapent therapy in patients with established cardiovascular disease or with diabetes and other risk factors who were receiving statin therapy. In this paper, we review the available clinical evidence for the effects of icosapent on athero-inflammatory-thrombotic processes and mechanisms for cardiovascular risk reduction.