Benefits of icosapent ethyl for enhancing residual cardiovascular risk reduction: A review of key findings from REDUCE-IT

Abstract

REDUCE-IT was a multinational, double-blind trial that randomized 8179 statin-treated patients with controlled low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and moderately elevated triglycerides to icosapent ethyl (IPE) or placebo. IPE was associated with a substantial reduction in the primary composite endpoint of death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, coronary revascularization, or unstable angina requiring hospitalization. Since the original publication of the trial, there have been a myriad of additional analyses confirming the benefit of IPE in various patient groups. Our objectives in this review are to summarize the key findings of the REDUCE-IT trial and its subsequent analyses as well as to call for the reevaluation and expansion of current guidelines to incorporate IPE as a therapy for patients at elevated cardiovascular risk with mild or moderate hypertriglyceridemia.

Keywords: Eicosapentaenoic acid; Icosapent ethyl; Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Myocardial infarction; Triglycerides.