Omega-3 underrated for heart failure

This was the message from the Heart Failure Society of America 2009 Scientific Meeting last month. Four invited faculty members meticulously made the case for .... omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), usually derived from fish oil, which garner far less attention as a heart-failure therapy than they deserve, given the wealth of laboratory and clinical evidence supporting a treatment effect.

That applies to prevention of heart failure, with observational studies suggesting a benefit especially in some high-risk groups, as well as to treatment of existing heart failure based on a large randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Read more here... (subscription to heartwire needed)

References:

1. Tavazzi L, Maggioni AP, Marchioli R, et al. Effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in patients with chronic heart failure (the GISSI-HF trial): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2008; 372:1223-1230.

2. Tavazzi L, Maggioni AP, Marchioli R, et al. Effect of rosuvastatin in patients with chronic heart failure (the GISSI-HF trial): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2008; 372:1231-1239.

3. Mozaffarian D, Bryson CL, Lemaitre RN, Siscovick DS. Fish intake and risk of incident heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol 2005; 45:2015-2021.

4. Fonarow GC. Statins and n-3 fatty acid supplementation in heart failure. Lancet 2008; 372:1195-1196.

5. Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell'Infarto Miocardico. Dietary supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E after myocardial infarction: results of the GISSI-Prevenzione trial. Lancet 1999; 354:447-455.

6. Dijkstra SC, Brouwer IA, van Rooij FJ, et al. Intake of very long chain n-3 fatty acids from fish and the incidence of heart failure: the Rotterdam Study. Eur J Heart Fail 2009; 11:922-928.

7. Brigham and Women's Hospital. Largest study of vitamin D and omega-3s set to begin soon at Brigham and Women's Hospital [press release]. June 23, 2009. Available here.

8.Yokoyama M, Origasa H, Matsuzaki M, et al. Effects of eicosapentaenoic acid on major coronary events in hypercholesterolemic patients (JELIS): a randomised open-label, blinded end point analysis. Lancet 2007; 369:1090-98.