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GERMANTOWN, Tenn.  — Dr. Frank McGrew and The Stern Cardiovascular Foundation had the pleasure of participating in the REDUCE-IT clinical trial, a placebo-controlled trial to study the effects of icosapent ethyl (Vascepa) in patients with established cardiovascular disease or diabetes and an elevated fasting triglyceride level.

High triglycerides are often a sign of other conditions that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, including obesity and metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that includes too much fat around the waist, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high blood sugar and abnormal cholesterol levels.

Thanks to the generosity of our volunteer subjects at Stern and other clinics, the study enrolled more than 8,000 patients around the world and was able to follow them for almost five years. On November 10, the results of this study were presented at the American Heart Association annual meeting and published simultaneously in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The study showed that for patients with elevated triglyceride levels, the risk of ischemic events like a heart attack or stroke was significantly lowered in people who were taking icosapent ethyl. The study drug, also known as Vascepa, is approved for use in the United States and can be prescribed by your physician at Stern Cardiovascular if it’s right for your condition.

To read the full publication click this link.

Sponsored by Stern Cardiovascular Foundation