Dietary n-3 PUFA and CVD: a review of the evidence

• Published in: Proceedings of the Nutrition Society Vol. 73; no. 1; pp. 57 - 64
• Main Author: Mori, Trevor A.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.02.2014
• Subjects: Animals; antihypertensive agents; Atherosclerosis; Biological and medical sciences; Blood pressure; Cardiac arrhythmia; cardiac output; cardioprotective effect; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Conference on ‘Dietary strategies for the management of cardiovascular risk’; Diabetes; Diet; Docosahexaenoic Acids - pharmacology; Docosahexaenoic Acids - therapeutic use; Drug dosages; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - pharmacology; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - therapeutic use; encapsulation; epidemiological studies; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - pharmacology; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - therapeutic use; fatty fish; Feeding Behavior; Feeding. Feeding behavior; fish meal; Fish Oils; Fishes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; general practitioners; Health risks; healthy diet; Heart attacks; Heart failure; Heart surgery; hemodialysis; Human subjects; Humans; infant development; Ischemia; Lipids; Mortality; omega-3 fatty acids; patients; polyunsaturated fatty acids; pregnancy; Prevention; Risk factors; Statins; Stroke; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Fish; n -3 Fatty acids; Fish oils; Cardiovascular risk factors; Cardiometabolic risk factors; Human studies; Human; Nutrition; n-3 Fatty acids; Polyunsaturated fatty acid; Lipids; Cardiovascular disease; Review; Edible oil; n-3 fatty acid; Fish oil; Risk factor; Unsaturated fatty acid
• ISSN: 0029-6651; 1475-2719; 1475-2719
• DOI: 10.1017/S0029665113003583

Many clinical and epidemiological studies have shown that the polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA from fish and fish oils, provide cardiovascular protection, particularly in the setting of secondary prevention. n-3 Fatty acids beneficially influence a number of cardiometabolic risk factors including blood pressure, cardiac function, vascular reactivity and lipids, as well as having anti-platelet, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative actions. They do not appear to adversely interact with other medications such as statins and other lipid-lowering drugs or antihypertensive medications. n-3 Fatty acids have gained widespread usage by general practitioners and clinicians in a number of clinical settings such as pregnancy and infant development, secondary prevention in CHD patients, treatment of dyslipidaemias and haemodialysis patients. Small doses are achievable with consumption of two to three oily fish meals per week or via purified encapsulated preparations now readily available. n-3 Fatty acids, particularly when consumed as fish, should be considered an important component of a healthy diet. The present paper reviews the effects of n-3 fatty acids on cardiometabolic risk factors, concentrating particularly on the evidence from randomised controlled studies in human subjects.