FISH OIL SUPPLEMENTS HAVE LITTLE EFFECT ON IRREGULAR HEART BEAT
High doses of fish oil
supplements, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, do not reduce atrial fibrillation, a
common type of irregular heartbeat in which the heart can beat as fast as 150
beats a minute. The results of the AFFORD trial led by the Montreal Heart
Institute were published in the Journal of the American
College of Cardiology on October 7th.
For the trial, 337
patients with atrial fibrillation not receiving conventional antiarrhythmic
therapy were randomly assigned to 4 grams of fish oil a day or to placebo for
up to 16 months. 64.1 % of patients who had received fish oil experienced a
recurrence of atrial fibrillation compared to 63.2 % of those taking placebo.
Furthermore, the study concluded that fish oil supplements did not reduce
inflammation or oxidative stress markers, which may explain its lack of
efficacy.
"Fish oil has no
role in the rhythm-control management of atrial fibrillation," said lead
investigator Dr. Anil Nigam, Cardiologist at the Montreal Heart Institute and
Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Montreal. "What is
well-known and should be recommended to prevent heart disease and reduce blood
pressure is a Mediterranean-type diet rich in natural omega-3 fats and other
nutrients, including fresh fruits and veggies, legumes, olive oil, while
lowering intake of red meat, trans fats and saturated fats. We believe that
such a strategy might also be beneficial for the treatment of atrial
fibrillation although more studies are required."
About atrial
fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is
the most common type of arrhythmia affecting approximately 350,000 Canadians.
That number is likely to increase as the population ages. The risk of
developing atrial fibrillation increases with age and with other risk factors
such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and underlying heart disease.
Some heart conditions, such as heart failure and heart valve problems can also
increase the risk of suffering from atrial fibrillation.
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