Fish oil and cardiovascular disease

The fish oil Omega 3 content has a lot of benefits, including the effect on the cardiovascular disease. The consumption of fish and fish oil is associated with lower rates of CHD (Coronary heart disease) in many epidemiological studies. Seminal findings in Eskimos have been confirmed and extended to Western populations,and in most studies there is an inverse relationship between the intake of fish or n-3 fatty acids and total mortality or cardiovascular mortality. However, some studies have not shown any benefit, possibly because fish intake was higher in the studied population as a whole.
Intervention studies, in which the intake of fish or fish oil was increased, have also shown beneficial effects. One classic study investigated 2000 Welsh men who had just recovered from their first heart attack. The men were randomised to a ‘fish dvice group’, in which they were asked to eat at least two portions of oily fish a week, or failing this fish oil in capsule form, or a ‘no fish advice group’. After 2 years, there was a 29% reduction in mortality in the fish/fish oil group, which was attributable to a reduction in CHD deaths. However, although there were fewer fatal heart attacks in the fish group, the total number of heart attacks did not decrease.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in India, 360 patients with suspected myocardial infarction were randomised to receive fish oil (1.09 g EPA/DHA daily), mustard oil (2.9 g alpha-linolenic acid daily) or placebo for 1 year. Total cardiac events, including cardiac arrhythmias, and also angina pectoris and left ventricular enlargement, were significantly reduced in both the fish oil and mustard oil groups compared with placebo. Fish oil, but not mustard oil, was significantly correlated with fewer cardiac deaths than placebo. Overall, a consistent body of evidence derived from several hundred studies has indicated that a daily ingestion of at least 1 g of EPA and DHA results in a reduction in total mortality, cardiovascular mortality and morbidity.
So the fish oil Omega 3 content is useful in cardiovascular disease.