Hypertriglyceridaemia and Omega 3 capsules

[catevalunii]

because I suffer from abnormally high triglycerides the past 10 years or so I have been prescribed a daily dose of Omacor. By courtesy of NICE my GP has now refused to prescribe these capsules any more so I have to buy them myself at £50 a time (compared to £28 that it cost the NHS). For a period of two months I stopped taking Omacor and my triglycerides doubled. Looking at MIMS (the GP's guide to prescribing)it states that Omega 3 fatty acids can STILL be prescribed for hypertriglyceridaemia. Can I prevail upon my GP to reinstate this prescription?

[bmand]

You should consider buying your omega 3 from Life Extension in he US.

[gifford7]

Nonprescription fish oil capsules may not work as well as prescription ones, but are cheaper and might be worth a try. see:

medpagetoday.com/cardiology...

"AHA Endorses Prescription Fish Oil for High Triglycerides

High dose recommended in science advisory

by Nicole Lou, Contributing Writer, MedPage Today

August 20, 2019

Prescription omega-3 fatty acids are an "effective and safe option" to cut down triglycerides, according to a science advisory released by the American Heart Association (AHA).

However, over-the-counter omega-3 supplements are not reviewed or approved by the FDA and should not be used in place of prescription medication for the long-term management of high triglycerides, cautioned writing group chair Ann Skulas-Ray, PhD, of the University of Arizona, Tucson, in a press release.

Prescription omega-3 fatty acids "at a dose of 4 g/d, are clinically useful for reducing triglycerides, after any underlying causes are addressed and diet and lifestyle strategies are implemented, either as monotherapy or as an adjunct to other triglyceride-lowering therapies," her group concluded.

Fish oil products containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and/or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) taken at that dose have been shown to reduce triglyceride levels by at least 30% in patients with triglycerides of 500 mg/dL or greater, according to the statement published online in Circulation . ahajournals.org/doi/full/10...

EPA-only formulations did not raise LDL cholesterol in this group, whereas combination EPA-DHA did, authors noted.

Among people with hypertriglyceridemia in the 200-499 mg/dL range, the 4-g/day dose of prescription omega-3 fatty acids lowered triglycerides by 20% to 30% without significantly increasing LDL cholesterol."