aha scientific statement.pdfVIP

AHA Scientific Statement Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Cardiovascular Disease Penny M. Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD; William S. Harris, PhD; Lawrence J. Appel, MD, MPH; for the Nutrition Committee ince the first AHA Science Advisory “Fish Consumption, nonsudden death from MI of 0.33. In an ecological study SFish Oil, Lipids, and Coronary Heart Disease,”1 impor- conducted by Zhang et al,8 fish consumption was associated tant new findings, including evidence from randomized with a reduced risk from all-cause, ischemic heart disease and controlled trials (RCTs), have been reported about the bene- stroke mortality across 36 countries. In addition, in a study of ficial effects of omega-3 (or n-3) fatty acids on cardiovascular Japanese living in Japan or Brazil, Mizushima et al9 reported disease (CVD) in patients with preexisting CVD as well as in a dose-response relationship between the frequency of healthy individuals.2 New information about how omega-3 weekly fish intake and reduced CVD risk factors (eg, obesity, fatty acids affect cardiac function (including antiarrhythmic hypertension, glycohemoglobin, ST-T segment change on the effects), hemodynamics (cardiac mechanics), and arterial ECG). Until recently, little information was available about endothelial function have helped clarify potential mecha- the effects of fish and omega-3 fatty acids and risk of CHD in nisms of action. The present Statement will address distinc- women. A recent study conducted with women in the Nurses’ tions between plant-derived (-linolenic acid, C18:3