title: Novel developments in omega-3 fatty acid-based strategies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) have been attributed with several health benefits, including triglyceride lowering and cardiovascular disease risk reduction. This review focuses on new prescription omega-3 fatty acid products in development and recently published data regarding omega-3 fatty acid effects on arrhythmias, heart failure, and platelet inactivation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A free fatty acid form of n-3 PUFA was found to produce a four-fold higher area under the plasma n-3 PUFA curve than prescription omega-3-acid ethyl esters in patients on a low-fat diet. Eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl esters reduced triglyceride without significantly elevating LDL cholesterol in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia and in those with mixed dyslipidemia. Recent investigations of n-3 PUFA effects on ventricular and atrial arrhythmias, including studies in patients with implanted defibrillators, failed to demonstrate a significant benefit. However, increased fatty fish or n-3 PUFA consumption was associated with a lower rate of hospitalization in heart failure patients. A further important finding was potentiation of the antiplatelet response when n-3 PUFAs were added to aspirin + clopidogrel.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although n-3 PUFA therapy continues to show promise in the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases, further research is necessary to more fully elucidate its role in specific disorders.
authors: University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60654, USA. mdavidso@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu
authors: Michael H
authors: MH
authors: Davidson
authors: Douglas
authors: D
authors: Kling
authors: Kevin C
authors: KC
authors: Maki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy; D001682:Biological Availability; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents