title: Dietary n-3 fatty acids in the prevention of cardiac arrhythmias.
abstract: It has been shown that in animals, and probably in humans, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are antiarrhythmic. We discuss recent studies on the antiarrhythmic actions of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Polyunsaturated fatty acids stabilize the electrical activity of isolated cardiac myocytes by inhibiting sarcolemmal ion channels so that a stronger electrical stimulus is required to elicit an action potential and the relative refractory period is markedly prolonged. This appears at present to be the probable major antiarrhythmic mechanism of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown 02129, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leaf
authors.forename: J X
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Billman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3