Fish Oil May Help Some Heart Failure Patients
Lee Swanson Research Update
"Adding omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, even in patients that had a major improvement (on standard treatment), showed a further improvement in heart function and exercise capacity," said study co-author Dr. Mihai Gheorghiade, a professor of cardiology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
This shows that even in patients who respond to therapy, "we can make them much better," he added. "This opens the door for the potential of a natural therapy—so-called macronutrients—in the management of heart failure."
Gheorghiade cautioned that this study is not conclusive, but nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids might extend life and improve quality of life for these patients.
The report is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Gheorghiade’s team randomly assigned 133 heart failure patients with minimal symptoms on standard therapy, which included beta blockers, to high doses (two grams) of omega-3 fatty acids supplements or a placebo.
After a year, those receiving the omega-3 supplement showed a 10.4% increase in heart function, compared with a five percent decrease among those taking placebo, the researchers found.
In addition, blood oxygen levels increased 6.2 percent in the omega-3 patients and decreased 4.5 percent in the placebo patients. Also, exercise time went up 7.5 percent in those receiving supplements while it went down 4.8 percent in those receiving placebo, they added.
Moreover, among those taking the supplement the hospitalization rate was six percent during the year, compared with 30% for those on placebo.
Gheorghiade speculated that the supplements improved the metabolism of the heart. "This is one example where a nontraditional therapy may also work," he said.
However, larger studies are needed to really see if this supplement helps prolong life, Gheorghiade said. "It’s promising, but it’s not conclusive," he said. "But it would be a mistake not to look at the value of the macro and micronutrients in the management of heart failure."
Journal of the American College of Cardiology Published online ahead of print.
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Jan. 2011