Effect of dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the inducibility of ventricular tachycardia in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, Metcalf RG, Sanders P, et al, Americanl Journal of Cardiology, 2008; 101(6): 758-61.

In a placebo-controlled study with 26 patients with coronary artery disease who were being implanted with defibrillators, supplementation with fish oil at 3,000 milligrams per day over a 6 week period of time was found to exert anti-arrhythmic effects.

The effects of fish oil on the inducibility of ventricular tachycardia, and its link to sudden cardiac death, were investigated in this study. Subjects underwent electrophysiologic studies before and after the intervention to determine how much stimulation was required to induce venticular tachycardia.

Subjects who took fish oil were found to experience significantly less venticular tachycardia.

In the fish oil group:

1. 42% of subjects had no inducible venticular tachycardia (compared to 7% in the control group);
2. 42% required more aggressive stimulation to induce venticular tachycardia (compared to 36% in the control group);
3. 8% required identical stimulation (compared to 36% in the control group);
4. 8% required less stimulation (compared to 21% in the control group).

The authors conclude, "These findings suggest that dietary fish oil can have an antiarrhythmic effect."

Consult your cardiologist about use of fish oil and show them this study information.

Michael Mooney
www.michaelmooney.net