Compositions and methods for lowering triglycerides without raising LDL-C levels in a subject on concomitant statin therapy

A method of increasing a ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to total fatty acids in plasma or RBCs of a subject having baseline fasting triglycerides of about 500 mg/dl to about 1500 mg/dl, a baseline ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to total fatty acids in plasma of about 2.0 to about 4.4 or a baseline ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to total fatty acids in RBCs of about 4.0 to about 8.4, and on stable statin therapy, the method comprising administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising about 1 g to about 4 g of EPA per day, wherein upon administering the composition to the subject daily for a period of 12 weeks, the subject exhibits an increase in the ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to total fatty acids in plasma and/or RBCs of at least 50% compared to a control subject on stable statin therapy without EPA, wherein the control subject also has baseline fasting triglycerides of about 500 mg/dl to about 1500 mg/dl.