Neurological

Omega-3 fatty acids linked to better cardiovascular outcomes

HealthDay News – Omega-3s (FAs) have been linked to lower cardiovascular mortality and improved cardiovascular outcomes, according to a review published online July 8 in eClinicalMedicine.

Safi U. Khan, MBBS, of West Virginia University at Morgantown, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to determine the effectiveness of omega-3 FAs on fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular outcomes. The meta-analysis comprised 38 randomized controlled trials (149,051 participants) on omega-3 FA, stratified according to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) monotherapy and EPA + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) therapy.

The researchers found that omega-3 fatty acid intake was linked to a reduction in cardiovascular mortality [RR], 0.93), non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI; RR, 0.87), coronary artery disease (CHD) events (RR, 0.91), major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; RR, 0.95), and revascularization ( RR, 0.91). EPA monotherapy was associated with greater risk reduction than EPA + DHA for cardiovascular mortality, non-fatal MI, CHD events, MACE, and revascularization. However, omega-3 FA increased atrial fibrillation (RR, 1.26), while EPA monotherapy was associated with a higher risk of total bleeding (RR, 1.49) and atrial fibrillation (RR, 1.35) compared to controls.

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“This study provides evidence of the therapeutic effectiveness of omega-3 FA and may explain the conflicting results between EPA monotherapy studies and those with EPA + DHA,” the authors write.

Several authors have disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

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Subjects:

Cardiovascular Diseases Diet and Exercise Vascular Neurology

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