Previous studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils reduce the risk of heart disease and sudden cardiac death. Consuming a small amount of fish, two or three times a week, has been found to offer heart protection. Heart failure patients receive implantable defibrillators (ICD) to decrease the risk of sudden cardiac death. Automated external defibrillators (AED) are also used to shock the heart back if it develops a fatal arrhythmia. Now research reports that fish oils may be as effective as defibrillators in preventing sudden death from heart disease.
The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, compared the estimated impact of three interventions to prevent sudden death. Researchers at Regions Hospital's Heart Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, examined a fictional group of participants, aged 30-84 in Olmstead County, Minnesota, in three scenarios. In the first scenario, participants receive adequate intake of omega-3s from fish oils, in the second scenario AEDs are in participant's homes and public facilities, and in the third scenario appropriate participants are given ICDs.
The researchers found that all three scenarios decreased the risk of sudden death. However, adequate omega-3 fish oil intake was found to have the best result. Participants who adequately consumed fish oils reduced the risk of sudden death by 6.4 percent, compared to 3.3 percent of the ICD group and less than 1 percent of the AED group. In addition, 75 percent of the decrease in sudden death due to omega-3s would come from raising omega-3 levels in the healthy participants. This suggests that adequate omega-3 fish oil intake may be the best way to prevent sudden cardiac death.
"Based on central values of candidacy and efficacy, raising n-3 fatty acid levels would have about eight times the impact of distributing AEDs and two times the impact of implanting ICDs," the study authors write. "Raising n-3 fatty acid levels would also reduce rates of sudden death among the subpopulation that does not qualify for ICDs."
REFERENCES:
1. Kottke TE et al. Preventing sudden death with n-3 (omega-3) fatty acids and defibrillators. Am J Prev Med 2006 Oct;31(4):316-323.
Posted by Elaine Gavalas on January 25, 2007 03:07 PM
