Icosapent ethyl may work by reducing the levels of triglycerides and other fats made in the liver. Lifestyle changes such as eating a low-fat diet, exercising, managing your weight, and quitting smoking may help improve how well this treatment works.
It is a prescription medicine available in the form of oral capsules.
What Is Vascepa Used For?
Vascepa is used with a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet to reduce triglycerides (fats) in adults with elevated triglyceride levels.
Brand Name(s): Vascepa
Drug Availability: Prescription
Administration Route: Oral
Therapeutic Classification: Antihyperlipidemic (lipid-lowering agent)
Available Generically: Yes
Controlled Substance: N/A
Active Ingredient: Icosapent ethyl
Dosage Form(s): Capsule
Vascepa is used jointly with other cholesterol-lowering medicines such as statins (e.g., atorvastatin, simvastatin) to reduce the risk of:
Heart attack Stroke Unstable angina (a form of acute coronary syndrome that causes chest pain) Coronary revascularization (a procedure to improve blood flow to the heart to treat coronary artery disease) Other types of heart problems that require hospitalization in adults with high triglycerides with established heart disease or diabetes and other risk factors for heart disease
How to Take Vascepa
Follow the guidelines on your prescription label. Your healthcare provider or pharmacist will also tell you how to take this medication.
Vascepa comes as a liquid-filled gel capsule to take by mouth with food twice daily. Take your dose at around the same time each day. Do not take more, less, or more often than prescribed. Swallow the capsules whole; do not open, chew, crush, or dissolve them. Keep taking this medication even if you feel well.
Do not substitute icosapent ethyl with other omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil products, such as nonprescription, over-the-counter (OTC) products, without talking with your healthcare provider. Other substitutes may not contain the same amount and type of fatty acids.
Storage
Store the medicine at room temperature (68–77 degrees Fahrenheit), away from light and moisture. Do not store it in the bathroom. Keep all medications locked away from the sight and reach of children and pets.
Do not keep unwanted or expired medication with you. Do not throw medicines in the trash, flush them down the toilet, or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. The best way to discard unused medication is through a treatment take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or local waste disposal company regarding this program in your area.
What Are the Side Effects of Vascepa?
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. A healthcare provider can advise you on side effects. If you experience other effects, contact your healthcare provider. You may report side effects to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at fda.gov/medwatch or 800-FDA-1088.
Common Side Effects
Some common side effects of Vascepa are:
Muscle and joint pain Constipation Peripheral edema (swelling of the hands, legs, or feet) Gout (a type of inflammatory arthritis) Atrial fibrillation (fast and irregular heartbeat)
Call your healthcare provider if any of the side effects become severe or do not go away.
Severe Side Effects
Vascepa can cause some severe side effects. Contact your healthcare provider or get emergency medical treatment if you have any of these symptoms:
Fast and irregular heartbeat Light-headedness or dizziness Shortness of breath Chest discomfort Feeling faint Allergic reaction (rashes, hives, itching, difficulty breathing or swallowing) Unusual bruising or bleeding
Dosage: How Much Vascepa Should I Take?
Modifications
If you have liver disease, your healthcare provider may need to monitor your alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels while you’re on Vascepa.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your provider may send a report to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program or by phone (800-332-1088).
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
For oral dosage form (capsules): For high triglycerides or fats in the blood: Adults—4 grams per day, to be taken as four 0. 5 gram capsules two times a day with food, or as two 1 gram capsules two times a day with food. Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
Missed Dose
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is nearly time for your next dose, ignore the missed dose. Take your following dose at the regular time. Never double up the amount to make up for the missed dose.
Overdose: What Happens If I Take Too Much Vascepa?
Call the Poison Control Center or a healthcare provider immediately if you think you have taken too much Vascepa. Seek emergency medical attention if you experience any side effects from overdosing on Vascepa.
Precautions
What Are Reasons I Shouldn’t Take Vascepa?
Do not take Vascepa if you have a known hypersensitivity to icosapent ethyl or any of the ingredients in Vascepa.
If someone collapses or isn’t breathing after taking Vascepa, call 911 immediately.
This medicine may increase your risk of heart rhythm problems (eg, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter). Call your doctor right away if you feel dizzy or faint, or have a fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat.
This medicine may increase your chance of bleeding. To help with this problem, stay away from rough sports or other situations where you could be bruised, cut, or injured. Brush and floss your teeth gently. Be careful when using sharp objects, including razors and fingernail clippers.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol. Alcohol intake may cause lipid (fat-like substance) disorders.
Vascepa has not been studied in pregnant and breastfeeding people. The decision to use Vascepa while pregnant or breastfeeding should be made with your healthcare provider by weighing the benefits of taking the medication vs. the possible risks.
What Other Medications Interact With Vascepa?
Some studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids taken with anticoagulant or antiplatelet agents (blood thinners) can cause prolonged bleeding.
What Medications Are Similar?
Other FDA-approved omega-3 fatty acid medications include:
Vascepa, containing the active ingredient icosapent ethyl or ethyl ester of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) Lovaza (omega-3-acid ethyl esters), containing EPA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) Epanova (omega-3-carboxylic acids), containing EPA, DHA, and docosapentaenoic acid
Vascepa and Lovaza are similar in how they lower triglycerides. They are also generally well tolerated. One significant difference is that Vascepa does not affect low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (considered “bad” cholesterol) levels in the body; however, Lovaza can increase LDL levels in some people. The choice of medication will be made by your healthcare provider and may depend on your risk factors for heart disease.
How Can I Stay Healthy While Taking Vascepa?
Vascepa does not treat heart diseases but reduces the risk of disease due to high triglycerides. This particular omega-3 fatty acid derivative is used as a part of a therapy that includes lifestyle change.
To get the desired benefit from the treatment, it is essential to eat a healthy and low-fat diet, exercise regularly, and continue therapy as prescribed. Keep all the appointments with your healthcare provider so that they can appropriately monitor your treatment. Vascepa requires long-term treatment to improve your symptoms.
