How Much Does Vascepa Lower Triglycerides

Managing Diabetes & cardiovascular Risk

Vascepa the “Super Fish Oil” – Is it for you?

First things first. VASCEPA is not a diabetes medication. It’s very important to continue taking your medication as directed by your doctor.

VASCEPA is an FDA-approved, prescription medicine that can give your heart added protection when taken with a statin.

VASCEPA can help manage your CV risk if you have diabetes or heart disease. That risk can be persistent and often elevated, especially since you may not realize just how at risk you may be.

In a recent survey of people age 45 and older with type 2 diabetes, only half recognize or have discussed their risk for heart attacks or strokes with their healthcare providers.

Coverage And Cost Comparison Of Vascepa Vs Lovaza

Insurance plans and Medicare prescription plans typically cover Vascepa and Lovaza. If you take Lovaza, choosing the generic form can save significant money, depending on your plan.

The out-of-pocket price of a one-month supply of Vascepa is about $390, but you can use a free SingleCare card to lower the price to about approximately $332.

A one-month supply of generic Lovaza is about $100 if you pay out-of-pocket. A free SingleCare coupon can lower the price to less than $30.

Contact your insurance plan for up-to-date coverage information.

Yes

Is Ethyl Esters The Same As Fish Oil

There are no ethyl ester fish in nature. Humans must consume fish oil in the same form as the fish to receive the maximum benefits. Ethyl esters have been in the human food chain approximately 20 years. Triglyceride fatty acids have been eaten safely, and for great benefit, for an estimated 600 million years.

Is Vascepa bad for your liver?

Omega-3 fatty acids liver disease Moderate Potential Hazard, Moderate plausibility. Increases in alanine aminotransferase and/or aspartate aminotransferase levels have been observed in patients receiving omega-3 fatty acids.

Can you take vitamin D with Vascepa?

Interactions between your drugs No interactions were found between Vascepa and Vitamin D3.

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If Your Triglyceride Levels Are Elevated Your Healthcare Provider May Decide To Try And Lower Your Levels By Changing Up Your Lifestyle This Includes Making Your Diet Healthier Losing Weight Or Addressing Medical Conditionssuch As Uncontrolled Diabetesthat Could Be Causing Your Triglyceride Levels To Be Too High If These Changes Dont Work Or If Your Triglycerides Are Extremely Elevated Your Healthcare Provider May Decide To Add Medication This Is When Medications Like Vascepa May Be Prescribed To You

Vascepa is a modified form of the omega-3 fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid , and is taken by people who have been diagnosed with severe hypertriglyceridemia, which consists of triglyceride levels greater than or equal to 500 mg/dL. If you have been prescribed this medication to take, you should also be following a diet to lower your triglyceride levels. Vascepa was approved for use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration in July 2012.1

There have been a few studies that have examined the safety and effectiveness of Vascepa in lowering triglycerides. The pivotal study, the MARINE trial, compared the triglyceride-lowering ability of Vascepa to placebo in people with triglyceride levels between 500 and 2000 mg/dL over a 12 week period. Compared to placebo, triglyceride levels were lowered by roughly 33% in those taking 4 grams of Vascepa daily. Additionally, VLDL was lowered by 27.9%. LDL and HDL were slightly lowered, however, this reduction was not statistically significant. No significant differences in vital signs, blood sugar levels, and liver enzymes were noted in people taking Vascepa versus those taking a placebo.2

What Is The Price Of Vascepa

Costs of prescription drugs can vary depending on many factors. These factors include what your insurance plan covers and which pharmacy you use.

Vascepa is available as the generic drug icosapent ethyl. Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. Talk with your doctor if youd like to know about taking generic icosapent ethyl.

If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. For a couple of options that may help you save on the cost of Vascepa, visit this site.

You can also check out this article to learn more about saving money on prescriptions.

Certain factors can affect whether Vascepa is a good treatment option for you. These may include having specific medical conditions or taking certain medications. Read on to find out more about these factors.

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Vascepa Dosage For Adults

Vascepa is a prescription drug that is very similar to the omega-3 fatty acid, EPA. Vascepa is changed into EPA when absorbed by the body. EPA reduces triglycerides in the bloodstream.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Vascepa to treat two medical conditions. Vascepa is prescribed to adults with elevated triglycerides who are also taking statins and either have a history of heart disease or have Type 2 diabetes and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. In these people, Vascepa is used to lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other serious cardiovascular problems. Vascepa is also prescribedin combination with dietto reduce triglyceride levels in people diagnosed with severe hypertriglyceridemia, or very high triglyceride levels. For either condition, the standard Vascepa dose is four grams per day.

Who Should Not Take Vascepa

Vascepa is not safe for everyone. Anyone who is allergic to icosapent ethyl should not take Vascepa. Also, Vascepa should be prescribed cautiously to certain people. This includes:

People who are allergic to fish and/or shellfish
People with liver problems
People with atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter
People who are at risk for bleeding

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Vascepa For Lowering The Risk Of Certain Cardiovascular Problems

Vascepa is FDA-approved to lower the risk of certain cardiovascular problems in adults with high triglyceride levels and:

diabetes and two or more additional risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or obesity

Triglycerides are a type of fat that flows through your blood. High triglyceride levels in your blood can contribute to the narrowing and hardening of your arteries. This may not cause any symptoms. However, it increases your risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart attack or stroke. A high triglyceride level is considered to be 150 mg/dL or more.

If you have cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or risk factors of cardiovascular disease, you likely have an increased risk of cardiovascular problems. High triglyceride levels may further increase your risk of these problems.

Vascepa helps lower your triglyceride levels. And it helps lower your risk of the following cardiovascular problems:

unstable angina that needs treatment in a hospital
coronary revascularization

To lower the risk of these cardiovascular problems, Vascepa is FDA-approved to be taken with statin medications. These drugs lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is another factor that increases your risk of cardiovascular problems. Examples of statin medications include atorvastatin and simvastatin . For additional information, see the Vascepa use with other treatments section below.

What Doses Of Vascepa Are Available

FDA Committee Says Vascepa Can Be Given To Larger Population Of Patients

Vascepa capsules are available in 0.5 gram and 1 gram. It is recommended that you take Vascepa with food, but your doctor may have more specific instructions for your dosage depending on your medical condition and response to treatment. Discuss your current list of medications to avoid drug interactions.

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How Does Vascepa Work

Vascepa is thought to work by reducing the production of triglycerides by the liver and enhancing their clearance from lipid particles, via several different mechanisms. This decreases triglyceride levels in the body.

If Vascepa is taken alongside a Mediterranean-style, low-carbohydrate diet that reduces body weight by 5% to 10% and contains no trans fats in addition to a regular exercise regimen, then triglyceride levels are expected to reduce by up to 50%.Vascepa only contains eicosapentaenoic acid , whereas most other fish oils contain both EPA and docosahexaenoic acid . By only containing EPA, Vascepa reduces high triglycerides without raising levels of bad cholesterol or LDL-C.

The lesser-known fat in your blood. Published: July 2014 Harvard health Publishing
Vascepa 07/2020 Amarin Pharma Inc.

Can Vascepa Be Crushed Split Or Chewed

No, Vascepa should not be crushed, split, or chewed. Do not try to dissolve Vascepa either. Vascepa capsules should be swallowed whole. This is easier if you take them with water or a beverage.

If you have trouble swallowing Vascepa, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You can also see this article.

Dr Roach: Very High Triglycerides May Need A Step Up From Otc Fish Oil

Dear Dr. Roach: I recently saw an ad on TV for Vascepa. It seems to be a drug for lowering triglycerides. I did some additional research and found that it also works as an anti-inflammatory. My triglycerides on my last bloodwork were 160. Would this drug be of benefit for me? Some say its merely fish oil, which I have taken for several years. I wonder if its just a higher octane of fish oil, so to speak.

Dear B.: Before taking a medication, it should be very clear what the goals of the medication are. This is true whether the medicine is prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin or other supplement.

In the case of people with high triglycerides, the goal of omega-3 fish oil is preventive. For people with VERY high triglycerides , reducing triglycerides reduces the incidence of inflammation of the pancreas. That is not a concern for you in your case, the goal is to reduce the likelihood of having a heart attack or stroke.

Vascepa is a highly purified omega-3 fish oil ester. It was shown in a study to reduce risk of the combination of cardiac death, heart attack and stroke in people with elevated triglyceride levels AND a history of coronary artery disease OR diabetes and an additional risk factor such as high blood pressure, evidence of blood inflammation or peripheral artery disease. In this group of high-risk subjects, Vascepa reduced the risk of developing one of the endpoints from 22% to 17%. All subjects in the study were also taking a statin.

M.H.

How Much Does Vascepa Cost With Insurance

Vascepa prices can vary based on your insurance plan. To save on your copay, ask your pharmacist if you can fill a 90-day supply of Vascepa. Your SingleCare savings card can also be used to save money at participating pharmacies. Our card could bring your total down to a more affordable price of $82.57 for 120, 1gm Capsule of generic Vascepa. SingleCare may actually be cheaper than your insurance. While many patient assistance programs have strict eligibility requirements, there are no eligibility criteria, applications, membership fees, or service fees to use SingleCare. Eligible individuals are US citizens with a valid Vascepa prescription. Ask your pharmacist about using SingleCare’s discount card to receive Vascepa prescription savings today. You can always ask your health insurance company questions about coverage information.

Accessible Medication Containers And Labels

If its hard for you to read the label on your prescription, tell your doctor or pharmacist. Certain pharmacies may provide medication labels that:

have large print
contain a code you can scan with a smartphone to change the text into audio

Your doctor or pharmacist may be able to recommend a pharmacy that offers these options if your current pharmacy doesnt.

Also, if youre having trouble opening your medication bottles, let your pharmacist know. They may be able to put Vascepa in an easy-open container. Your pharmacist may also recommend tools to help make it simpler to open the drugs container.

How To Take Vascepa

To get the maximum benefit from Vascepa in reducing triglycerides and cholesterol, take the recommended dose twice per day. Always take Vascepa with a meal.

Take Vascepa as directed by a healthcare provider. Do not take more capsules than prescribed.
Vascepa comes with a patient information guide with important details about taking Vascepa safely and possible side effects to watch out for. If the drug information package insert is not included with the medicine, ask the pharmacist for a copy.
Take Vascepa twice per day with food as directed.
Swallow the Vascepa capsule whole with a glass of water. Do not crush, break, chew, or dissolve it.
Rigorously follow the diet prescribed or advised by a healthcare provider when taking Vascepa.
Store Vascepa in a closed container at room temperature out of the reach of children.

Regular blood tests may be required to measure cholesterol levels , triglycerides, and liver enzymes .

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Vascepa Use With Other Treatments

Vascepa is prescribed to lower triglyceride levels.* If youre prescribed Vascepa, your doctor will recommend following a diet thats healthy for you. They may also recommend increased exercise. The following changes in your diet may help lower triglyceride levels:

limiting alcohol

Its important to note that you should not take Vascepa as a substitute for eating a diet thats healthy for you. Talk with your doctor or nutritionist about what foods and drinks you should consume or limit to help lower your triglyceride levels. They can advise on other foods and drinks you can replace them with. You should also talk with your doctor about ways to increase your physical activity.

Vascepa is also prescribed to lower the risk of certain cardiovascular problems.* For this use, Vascepa is taken with statin medications. Statin medications lower triglycerides and cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is another risk factor of cardiovascular problems such as heart attack or stroke. Examples of statins you may take with Vascepa include:

Effect Of Alipogene Tiparvovec On Lipid And Lipoprotein Levels

How to reduce triglycerides

In patients with plasma TG levels > 880mg/d, treatment with alipogene tiparvovec resulted in an approximately 40% decrease in fasting plasma TGs with half of the patients having > 40% decrease in fasting plasma TG levels at 3-12 weeks post treatment . By week 16-26, fasting TG levels returned to baseline values but chylomicron levels were reduced . While fasting TG levels returned to baseline, postprandial TG levels were reduced by approximately 60% suggesting that there are long term effects that are not reflected by fasting TG levels . In fact, in some patients treated with alipogene tiparvovec, lipoprotein lipase expression was demonstrated in muscle biopsies at 26 weeks .

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How Long Does It Take Vascepa To Work

Vascepa is a long-term treatment. Taking daily doses of Vascepa produces a significant reduction in triglycerides and a slight reduction in LDL in the first 12 weeks of daily dosing. In reducing cardiovascular disease risk, it takes at least one year for Vascepa to show a difference between people taking Vascepa and people not taking Vascepa. It will take almost five years of treatment to show a significant difference between these two groups.

How Long Does It Take To Work

Vascepa starts working soon after you start taking it. However, youre unlikely to notice it working. It may take a few weeks before your triglyceride levels and risk of cardiovascular problems start to reduce. Your doctor will order blood tests from time to time to check if the medication is working for you.

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Vascepa.

Is weight loss a side effect of Vascepa?

No, weight loss is not known to be a side effect of Vascepa. Weight loss wasnt reported in the drugs clinical trials.

Vascepa is taken to lower blood triglyceride levels.* Triglycerides are a type of fat that flows through your blood. However, this type of fat doesnt affect body weight. And lowered levels of triglycerides wont lead to weight loss.

However, during Vascepa treatment, your doctor will advise you follow a diet thats healthy for you. They will also recommend increasing exercise. This can help lower your triglyceride levels and lead to weight loss. Losing weight can benefit people who have high triglyceride levels and an increased risk of cardiovascular problems.

* For additional information on the approved uses of Vascepa, see the Vascepa uses section above.

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Effect Of Niacin On Cardiovascular Outcomes

MONOTHERAPY

COMBINATION WITH FIBRATES

In the Stockholm Ischemic Heart Disease Secondary Prevention Study survivors of a myocardial infarction below 70 years of age were randomized to a control group and a group treated with clofibrate and immediate release nicotinic acid . Serum cholesterol and TG was lowered by 13% and 19%, respectively, in the treatment group compared to the control group. Recurrent myocardial infarction was reduced by 50% within one year . Total mortality was decreased by 26% in the group treated with clofibrate + niacin while ischemic heart disease mortality was decreased by 36% . Notably, the benefit of clofibrate + niacin was only observed in patients with a baseline TG level > 143mg/dl. In the age of statins, the clinical implications of this early study are unclear.

COMBINATION WITH STATINS

How Vascepa Can Be Used To Lower High Triglyceride Levels

If your triglyceride levels are elevated, your healthcare provider may decide to try and lower your levels by changing up your lifestyle. This includes making your diet healthier, losing weight, or addressing medical conditionssuch as uncontrolled diabetesthat could be causing your triglyceride levels to be too high. If these changes don’t work or if your triglycerides are extremely elevated, your healthcare provider may decide to add medication. This is when medications like Vascepa may be prescribed to you.