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Data from two new studies help confirm previous research showing the heart-healthy benefits of omega-3 fatty acids--the "good" fats found primarily in fish and fish oil supplements.
A new study from Italy suggests that fish oil supplements dramatically reduce the risk of sudden death in heart attack survivors.
Researchers involved in the GISSI-Prevenzione trial studied more than 11,300 heart patients, about one fourth of whom were given one gram daily of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, also known as omega-3 fatty acids. A second group took 300 mg of vitamin E each day, another took both, and a fourth group took a placebo. Ail the patients ate a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, olive oil, and fish.
"Reduction of sudden death appeared early after start of treatment," says lead author Dr. Roberto Marchioli. Data published in the April issue of Circulation: The Journal of the American Heart Association show that patients who took the fish oil supplements appeared to be at a 41 percent lower risk of death from any cause after only three months of treatment. By the end of the 3 1/2-year study period, patients treated with the omega-3 rich supplements were 45 percent less likely to die suddenly from a heart-related cause.
In the second study, data from the ongoing Nurses Health Study showed that women who ate fish two to four times a week reduced their heart disease risk by 30 percent compared to those who rarely ate fish. Findings are published in an April issue of JAMA. Past studies showed similar benefits for men.
Experts believe that omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent clotting and reduce episodes of irregular heartbeats, a major cause of death from coronary heart disease.
The FDA says that pregnant women and those in childbearing years should not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish because they contain potentially high amounts of mercury.
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