HHS: Fish Oil Beneficial to Heart Health 32331

HHS: Fish Oil Beneficial to Heart Health

WASHINGTONFish oil can helpreduce deaths from heart disease, according to new evidence reports released bythe Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), an arm of the Departmentof Health and Human Services (HHS). AHRQ released three reports on omega-3essential fatty acids (EFAs) and cardiovascular function; the reports wereprepared by the Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston. The reviewersconcluded long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) reduce heart attack,reduce triglyceride levels, slightly lower high blood pressure, reduce arrthymiaand reduce risk of coronary artery re-blockage after angioplasty.

These findings will help health care professionals and thepublic understand which benefits of omega-3 fatty acids have been scientificallyproven and pinpoint areas where additional evidence is needed, said CarolynM. Clancy, M.D., director of AHRQ. Translating scientific evidence intoinformation that can be used to improve health and health care is key to AHRQsmission.

For the review on omega-3 supplementation and cardiovasculardisease (CVD) outcomes, the Tufts researchers reviewed 39 studies assessing CVDclinical outcomes, as well as 12 secondary prevention studies. They found strongevidence supporting the hypothesis that fish or fish oil reduces all-causemortality and various CVD outcomes; evidence on alpha-linoleic acid (ALA, aprecursor to longer-chain omega-3s) independent of fish oil was inadequate todraw a conclusion. The complementary reviews examining fish oils effects onCVD risk factors and arrhythmia found protective effects including loweringtriglyceride levels (in a dose-dependent manner) and preventing ischemia-inducedarrhythmia.

AHRQ also released a report about omega-3s and asthma(conducted at the University of Ottawa, Ontario), and one about EFAs andconditions including inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis(conducted at Southern California-RAND EPC, Santa Monica). Researchers used 31reports for the asthma review, but found there was a lack of consistent evidenceand a lack of well-conducted studies; therefore, they did not draw a conclusionon omega-3s influence on mediators of inflammation in asthma. Similarly, theCalifornia researchers found mixed effects from studies on omega-3s in treatinginflammatory bowel disease, kidney disease and osteoporosis, and no discernibleeffect on rheumatoid arthritis.

The reports describe some positive findings as well as anumber of areas where data are insufficient to draw conclusions about theefficacy and safety of omega-3 fatty acids, said Paul M. Coates, Ph.D.,director of the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes ofHealth (NIH). [We] will use these reports to develop appropriate researchagendas for omega-3 fatty acids that will fill these gaps in knowledge.

Summaries of the evidence reviews are available online (www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcindex.htm) or by contacting AHRQ at (800) 358- 9295.