Interactions with other medications: What you need to know
Taking Vascepa (icosapent ethyl) with other prescription or over-the-counter medications can lead to unfavorable interactions. According to the prescription label [1], medications to be avoided or taken with caution include:
Blood Thinners (Anticoagulants) and Antiplatelet Aggregants
* Taking Vascepa with anticoagulants such as warfarin (Coumadin), apixaban (Eliquis), dabigatran (Pradaxa), or rivaroxaban (Xarelto) may increase the risk of bleeding [1].
* Vascepa can also interact with antiplatelet aggregants like aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), or ticagrelor (Brilinta), increasing the risk of bleeding [1].
Statins and Cholesterol Lowering Agents
* Some studies suggest that taking Vascepa with statins, such as atorvastatin (Lipitor) or simvastatin (Zocor), may lead to a higher risk of elevated liver enzymes or muscle damage [2].
* Vascepa can also interact with other cholesterol-lowering agents, such as ezetimibe (Zetia) or fenofibrate (Tricor), to increase the risk of adverse effects on liver enzymes [3].
Other Interactions and Side Effects
* Vascepa may interact with certain medications, such as vitamin A (retinoids), that can increase the risk of visual disturbances or other toxicity issues [4].
* It is also essential to monitor blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels when taking Vascepa with other medications that may affect kidney function [1].
Consult your doctor or a pharmacist
To minimize potential interactions, it's crucial to inform your doctor or pharmacist about all the medications you're currently taking before starting Vascepa or adding any new medications to your regimen.
Sources:
[1] https://www.drugs.com/pro/vascepa.html
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6351132/
[3] https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfdadocs/nda/2019/212111s000Tele-psds.pdf
[4] https://www.drugs.com/monograph/vitamin-a-oral.html