Cod liver oil does not reduce ventricular extrasystoles after myocardial infarction.
Previous work has shown that in experimental animal models a lower incidence of arrhythmias and sudden death was observed if the animals were fed cod liver oil or fish oil. After a 48-h control period starting, on average, 8 days after the onset of symptoms, 18 men who were recovering from acute myocardial infarction were given 20 ml d-1 cod liver oil for 6 weeks, either immediately after the control period, weeks 0-6 (n = 10), or during weeks 6-12 (n = 8). Forty-eight-hour Holter monitoring was carried out before cod liver oil administration and at the end of weeks 6 and 12. The eicosapentaenoic acid content of plasma phospholipids was increased by 230% during cod liver oil administration. However, no significant change was observed in the 24-h prevalence of ventricular extrasystoles or other arrhythmias during the study period. The mean ln number of ventricular extrasystoles was 2.95 +/- 0.51 (+/- SEM) during cod liver oil ingestion and 2.63 +/- 0.30 when not taking cod liver oil.
Hardarson
T
T
Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Landspitalinn, Iceland.
Kristinsson
A
A
Skúladóttir
G
G
Asvaldsdóttir
H
H
Snorrason
S P
SP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005117:Cardiac Complexes, Premature / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003060:Cod Liver Oil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications*; D011897:Random Allocation
D005395:Fish Oils; D003060:Cod Liver Oil