title: Antiarrhythmic effects of n-3 fatty acids: evidence from human studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  N-3 fatty acids from fish reduce cardiovascular mortality including sudden cardiac death. In this paper, the authors discuss the results of human studies with regard to the hypothesis that n-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of fatal coronary heart disease through antiarrhythmic effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results from two recent clinical trials do not support a protective effect of n-3 fatty acids. In light of the earlier published bulk of evidence that n-3 fatty acids reduce cardiovascular mortality and sudden cardiac death, it is hard to explain these findings. Two recent observational studies confirmed that intake of n-3 fatty acids from fish is associated with less cardiovascular disease in the general population. They indicated that the protective effect of a fish meal may depend on the n-3 fatty acid content or preparation method and suggested a protective effect on arrhythmia rather than on atherosclerosis. Intervention studies on electrophysiological predictors of arrhythmia do not clearly confirm a beneficial effect of n-3 fatty acids. However, most of these studies were small or performed in healthy populations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The available evidence still suggests that n-3 fatty acids may prevent fatal cardiac arrhythmia, but more conclusive studies are urgently needed.
authors.affiliation: Wageningen Centre for Food Sciences and Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. anouk.geelen@wur.nl
authors.forename: Anouk
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geelen
authors.forename: Ingeborg A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.forename: Peter L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Zock
authors.forename: Martijn B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Katan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3