title: Efficacy of omega-3 fatty acid supplements (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although previous randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials reported the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acid supplements in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the evidence remains inconclusive. Using a meta-analysis, we investigated the efficacy of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in the secondary prevention of CVD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library in April 2011. Two of us independently reviewed and selected eligible randomized controlled trials.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1007 articles retrieved, 14 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (involving 20 485 patients with a history of CVD) were included in the final analyses. Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids did not reduce the risk of overall cardiovascular events (relative risk, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.89-1.09), all-cause mortality, sudden cardiac death, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, or transient ischemic attack and stroke. There was a small reduction in cardiovascular death (relative risk, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.84-0.99), which disappeared when we excluded a study with major methodological problems. Furthermore, no significant preventive effect was observed in subgroup analyses by the following: country location, inland or coastal geographic area, history of CVD, concomitant medication use, type of placebo material in the trial, methodological quality of the trial, duration of treatment, dosage of eicosapentaenoic acid or docosahexaenoic acid, or use of fish oil supplementation only as treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our meta-analysis showed insufficient evidence of a secondary preventive effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplements against overall cardiovascular events among patients with a history of cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cancer Prevention and Detection, Ilsan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.forename: Seung-Kwon
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Myung
authors.forename: Young Jae
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hong Gwan
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Seo
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002423:Cause of Death; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid