Abstract 18492: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients Using Icosapent Ethyl, With a Focus on Patients With Diabetes
Om P Ganda, Peter P Toth, Handrean Soran, John R Nelson, Nathan D Wong, David Abrahamson, Hakima Hannachi, Josh Hartman, Sephy Philip- Physiology (medical)
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Background: Icosapent ethyl was approved in Dec 2019 to reduce CV event risk in statin-treated adults with elevated TG (≥150 mg/dL) and established CVD or diabetes with other risk factors of CVD.
Hypothesis: Patients who take icosapent ethyl have demographic/clinical characteristics consistent with its indication.
Aims: This study describes demographic/clinical characteristics of US patients taking icosapent ethyl, focusing on those with diabetes.
Methods: A database of >89 million US electronic medical records identified patients taking icosapent ethyl (ie, ≥2 prescriptions on 2 separate days). Patient demographic/clinical baseline data were retrieved.
Results: As of Jan 19, 2023, 40,408 patients taking icosapent ethyl were identified, with a mean (SD) age of 60.3 (12.9) y, BMI of 31.9 (6.07) kg/m 2 , HbA1c of 7.24% (1.88), and glucose level of 143 (67.8) mg/dL. Most were men (60.5%), White (75.2%), and taking statins (71.8%). Mean (SD; median) TG in the 3 mo before icosapent ethyl initiation was 422 (506; 300) mg/dL; 8.1% of patients had TG ≥500 mg/dL. In line with the indication of icosapent ethyl, 65.3% had prior atherosclerotic CVD or diabetes and ≥1 risk factor. Among 16,564 patients with diabetes ( Figure ), 13.0% had a history of myocardial infarction, 12.5% had stroke, and 10.4% had revascularization. Overall, 14.2% had chronic kidney disease and 5.5% had type 2 diabetes mellitus with diabetic kidney disease. Common risk factors for CVD were hypertension (68.4%), obesity (40.9%), and history of cigarette smoking (21.6%). Common antidiabetic medications were metformin (37.4%), insulin (27.9%), and sulfonylurea (15.1%).
Conclusions: Patients using icosapent ethyl often had diabetes and/or CVD, took statins, and had elevated TG, meeting indications for its use. However, the high median TG before therapy suggests that many physicians reserve icosapent ethyl for more severe TG; thus many patients with more moderate levels (>150 mg/dL) could potentially benefit.