[Antiarrhythmia effects of omega-3 fatty acids. A review].

Abstract

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have been effective in reducing cardiovascular mortality in the recent GISSI-Prevenzione study. In a post-hoc analysis of this study an important observation has been the reduction of sudden cardiac death. The hypothesis that a protection from sudden death occurs because of antiarrhythmic effects of omega-3 fatty acids is supported by studies on cellular and animal models. A few intervention studies before the GISSI-Prevenzione and several retrospective analyses of epidemiological studies, in which nutritional variables connected with the intake of omega-3 fatty acids had been recorded, also support such a hypothesis. This review critically summarizes this type of evidence and indicates current research directions for its further validation.

• Authors: Raffaele De Caterina, Rosalinda Madonna
• Journal: Italian heart journal. Supplement : official journal of the Italian Federation of Cardiology (Ital Heart J Suppl) Vol. 3 Issue 3 Pg. 297-308 (Mar 2002) ISSN: 1129-4728 [Print] Italy
• Vernacular Title: Effetti antiaritmici degli acidi grassi omega-3. Una rassegna.
• PMID: 12040845 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Fatty Acids, Omega-3

Topics

• Arrhythmias, Cardiac (prevention & control)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Death, Sudden, Cardiac (prevention & control)
• Fatty Acids, Omega-3 (metabolism, pharmacology)
• Forecasting
• Humans
• Membrane Potentials (drug effects, physiology)
• Prospective Studies