Fish oil, cardiac death, arrhythmias, and all-cause mortality:
Fish oil supplementation (docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)) was associated with a significant reduction in deaths from cardiac causes, but it was not beneficial in terms of arrhythmic events (problems with rate or rhythm of the heartbeat) or all-cause mortality. Twelve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the review (n=32,779). Supplementation with fish oil was associated with a significant 20% decrease in death from cardiac causes. (5)
Assessment and Plan: Cardiac arrhythmias, Arrhythmia, Abnormal heart rhythm
- Low lutein and zeaxanthin: Karppi J, et al found that patients with low lutein and zeaxanthin levels may face an increased risk of atrial fibrillation with calculated hazard ratio for low lutein, 1.70 and for low zeaxanthin,1.99 but lycopene, β-cryptoxanthin, α-carotene and total carotenoids were not found to be associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation (1).
- Creatine phosphate: Patients who took creatine phosphate perioperatively at an IV dose of 6 g daily in two 20-min IV sessions before cardiac bypass surgery and 4.0 g daily after surgery showed improved heart function, was beneficial for ventricular arrhythmias, needed less energy/number of DC shocks, and required less use of inotropes after surgery compared to placebo (2). Cerný J et al found that use of creatine phosphate in individuals undergoing coronary artery surgery had a reduction in arrhythmias but did not affect the level of enzymes with heart ischemia (3).
- When compared with the placebo group, patients treated with fish oil or mustard oil showed a reduction in total angina pectoris (chest pain), cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat), nonfatal infarctions, and left ventricular enlargement (4).
- A review of 2 randomized controlled trials by Leon H et al found that fish oil supplementation was associated with a 20% decrease in death from cardiac causes, but was not beneficial for decreasing arrhythmias or all-cause mortality (5).
