It takes approximately one year for Vascepa to start reducing a person's cardiovascular risk and up to almost five years for the full risk-reducing effects to be seen. Laboratory results showed that Vascepa reduced triglycerides by a median of -39 mg/dL (or a drop of 18%) after one year whereas those assigned to placebo had an increase in triglycerides of 5 mg/dL (an increase of 2%).