Compositions and methods for lowering triglycerides

A method of lowering triglycerides and LDL-C in a subject comprising, administering orally to a subject having fasting triglycerides from about 200 mg/dl to less than 500 mg/dl who is on stable statin therapy about 4 g per day of a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least about 96%, by weight of all fatty acids present, ethyl eicosapentaenoate for a period of at least about 12 weeks to effect a reduction in fasting triglycerides in the subject by least 5% and to effect a reduction in fasting LDL-C in the subject by at least about 5% compared to fasting triglycerides and fasting LDL-C, respectively, in a second subject on stable statin therapy who has not received the pharmaceutical composition.

A method of lowering triglycerides in a subject on stable statin therapy and having fasting a baseline triglyceride level from about 200 mg/dl to less than 500 mg/dl comprising administering orally to the subject about 4 g per day of a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least about 96%, by weight of all fatty acids present, ethyl eicosapentaenoate for a period of 12 weeks, which when administered to a first patient population on stable statin therapy and having said baseline triglyceride level at 4 g per day for twelve weeks is effective to reduce fasting triglycerides and fasting LDL-C, compared to fasting triglycerides and fasting LDL-C observed in a second patient population on stable statin therapy and having said fasting baseline triglyceride level who has not received the pharmaceutical composition.