title: Fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids in cardiovascular disease: do they really work?
abstract: Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found abundantly in fish oil, exert pleiotropic cardiometabolic effects with a diverse range of actions. The results of previous studies raised a lot of interest in the role of fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The present review will focus on the current clinical uses of omega-3 fatty acids and provide an update on their effects. Since recently published trials in patients with coronary artery diseases or post-myocardial infarction did not show an effect of omega-3 fatty acids on major cardiovascular endpoints, this review will examine the limitations of those data and suggest recommendations for the use of omega-3 fatty acids.
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. daan.kromhout@wur.nl
authors.forename: Daan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kromhout
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: Johanna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Geleijnse
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimokawa
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils