title: Effects of dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on endothelium-dependent vasodilation in patients with chronic heart failure.
abstract: We investigated the effects of omega-3 fatty acids administration on endothelium-dependent vasodilation in patients > or =65 years old who received treatment for chronic heart failure (CHF). Twenty patients (mean age 73 years; 15 men) with grade II and III CHF who were on maximal medical management were recruited. Patients were randomized in a double-blind, crossover fashion to 6 weeks of omega-3 fatty acid (1.8 g ecosapentaenoic acid and 1.2 g docosahexaenoic acid) or olive oil. Forearm blood flow (FBF) responses to incremental doses of intra-arterial sodium nitroprusside, acetycholine (ACH), angiotensin-II, and N(g)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester were assessed by venous occlusion strain gauge plethysmography. The endothelium-dependent increase in FBF was greater in response in ACH infusion after omega-3 fatty acid administration (7.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.81 to 11.08 to 11.3, 95% CI 7.31 to 15.23 arbitrary units (p <0.05) compared with baseline (7.95, 95% CI 4.8 to 11.08 arbitrary units) and olive oil administration (7.27, 95% CI 4.66 to 9.88 arbitrary units) (p = NS for both). Neither omega-3 fatty acid nor olive oil altered endothelium-independent vasodilation in response to infusion of sodium nitroprusside, nor did they influence vasoconstrictor responses to angiotensin-II or N(g)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester. Dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation was accompanied by an increase in FBF response to ACH, which represents enhanced endothelium-dependent vasodilation in CHF. Further studies are warranted to assess the mechanism responsible for the beneficial actions of omega-3 fatty acids in CHF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Therapeutics and Pharmacology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Lana J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: Colm G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Hanratty
authors.forename: Naglaa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: El-Sherbeeny
authors.forename: Paul B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Lawrence T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Leahey
authors.forename: G Dennis
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Gary E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: McVeigh
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine; D000368:Aged; D000804:Angiotensin II; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D045462:Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D009599:Nitroprusside; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology; D010991:Plethysmography
chemical_list: D045462:Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; D000804:Angiotensin II; D009599:Nitroprusside; D000109:Acetylcholine; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester