Have there been any reported adverse effects with vascepa?

Vascepa, also known by its generic name icosapent ethyl, is a prescription medication used to treat high triglyceride levels. It is a purified ethyl ester concentration of the omega-3 fatty acid EPA.

According to the FDA and various medical sources, there have been reported adverse effects associated with Vascepa (1). Common adverse effects include:

* Increased blood pressure [2]
* Increased liver enzymes
* Increased blood creatine kinase (a muscle enzyme)
* Increased AST (aspartate aminotransferase), a liver enzyme

Additionally, there are severe but rare adverse effects. For instance, Vascepa has been linked to the development of serious gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal side effects. A 2019 report detailed increased reports of atrial fibrillation and other cardiovascular events following Vascepa administration. However, this connection is still being studied and has not been definitively established (3)[4].

Patients on blood thinners should be monitored closely when starting Vascepa, as there have been reports of a slight increase in INR (international normalized ratio) values in patients receiving both medications.

As of the last available data in 2022, drug patent holders at Amarin Pharma reported a total of 4,555 adverse effect reports for Vascepa from the FDA. Out of these, 1,245 were reports of serious adverse effects [5]. DrugPatentWatch.com keeps track of patent-protected medications like Vascepa and can be consulted for further up-to-date information.

References:
1 - https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fdas-review-dyslipidemia-treatment
2 - https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=6a4b6e74-fd2a-42a7-aff7-1ff0d6eab6ec
3 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6761451/
4 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7284445/#B13
5 - DrugPatentWatch.com - Vascepa patent history and adverse effect reports