| Summary: | Managing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) often involves a combination of lifestyle modifications and medications aiming to decrease the risk of cardiovascular outcomes, such as myocardial infarction and stroke. The aim of this article is to discuss possible omega-3 (<i>n</i>-3) fatty acid–statin interactions in the prevention and treatment of ASCVD and to provide evidence to consider for clinical practice, highlighting novel insights in this field. Statins and <i>n</i>-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) are commonly used to control cardiovascular risk factors in order to treat ASCVD. Statins are an important lipid-lowering therapy, primarily targeting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, while <i>n</i>-3 fatty acids address triglyceride (TG) concentrations. Both statins and <i>n</i>-3 fatty acids have pleiotropic actions which overlap, including improving endothelial function, modulation of inflammation, and stabilizing atherosclerotic plaques. Thus, both statins and <i>n</i>-3 fatty acids potentially mitigate the residual cardiovascular risk that remains beyond lipid lowering, such as persistent inflammation. EPA and DHA are both substrates for the synthesis of so-called specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), a relatively recently recognized feature of their ability to combat inflammation. Interestingly, statins seem to have the ability to promote the production of some SPMs, suggesting a largely unrecognized interaction between statins and <i>n</i>-3 fatty acids with relevance to the control of inflammation. Although <i>n</i>-3 fatty acids are the major substrates for the production of SPMs, these signaling molecules may have additional therapeutic benefits beyond those provided by the precursor <i>n</i>-3 fatty acids themselves. In this article, we discuss the accumulating evidence that supports SPMs as a novel therapeutic tool and the possible statin–<i>n</i>-3 fatty acid interactions relevant to the prevention and treatment of ASCVD.
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