More research needed on omega-3's effects on heart rhythm drugs: Singapore meta-analysis

By Cheryl Tay

- Last updated on GMT

The evidence available did not support omega-3's treatment benefits in preventing atrial fibrillation recurrence in certain patients. ©Getty Images
The evidence available did not support omega-3's treatment benefits in preventing atrial fibrillation recurrence in certain patients. ©Getty Images
There is insufficient evidence as to omega-3 fatty acids' ability to enhance the effectiveness of drugs that suppress abnormal rhythms of the heart, according to researchers in Singapore.

Earlier studies have suggested that omega-3 has pleiotropic effects and a good safety profile, which, through combination therapy, could help raise the efficacy of anti-arrhythmic drugs in suppressing atrial arrhythmias.

Researchers at the National University of Singapore conducted a meta-analysis to discern the effectiveness of omega-3 as both a sole anti-arrhythmic agent and as an adjunct to existing pharmacological therapies to prevent atrial fibrillation recurrence.

They reviewed four RCTs with a total of 1,268 subjects and found that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid therapy had no impact on preventing atrial fibrillation recurrence, when compared with those in control groups.

They then wrote that presently, the evidence available did not support omega-3's treatment benefits in preventing atrial fibrillation recurrence in patients who had not received any conventional reversion treatments, or who had only received pharmacological therapy.

Wider pool of references needed

They added, however, that the review had been limited to only one outcome, i.e., time to first atrial fibrillation recurrence as measured by hazard ratio, so omega-3's potential benefits were not measured by other outcomes or clinical indicators, such as the duration and frequency of each atrial fibrillation episode.

The small number of reviewed studies also limited the results significantly, as the researchers were unable to analyse omega-3's effect in combination with anti-arrhythmic drugs.

This led them to say that "caution should be exercised when extrapolating our results to wider clinical settings"​.

In conclusion, they wrote:  "Omega-3 fatty acids, with their pleiotropic effects and favourable safety profile, have been proposed as a potential adjunct to augment the efficacy of anti-arrhythmic drugs for suppressing arrhythmia.

"However, this present meta-analysis showed that omega-3 fatty acid consumption, either as a supplement to anti-arrhythmia, or as a sole anti-arrhythmic agent is not associated with a reduction in atrial fibrillation recurrence. Therefore, there is insufficient evidence to support its routine use in either role."

 

Source: Oncotarget

Vol. 9, no.5

"A meta-analysis on Omega-3 supplements in preventing recurrence of atrial fibrillation"

Authors: Ying Jiang, et al.

Related news

Related products

Comprehensive Nutritional Lipid Solutions

Comprehensive Nutritional Lipid Solutions

Content provided by INNOBIO Corporation Limited | 24-Sep-2024 | White Paper

INNOBIO specializes in high-quality DurOmega® functional lipid products, emphasizing enhanced fatty acid quality and application performance.

Harness the power of algae for omega-3 innovation

Harness the power of algae for omega-3 innovation

Content provided by dsm-firmenich | 08-May-2024 | Insight Guide

Algal-sourced omega-3s have limitless potential, able to scale to meet the needs of our planet’s population with twice the potency – naturally – and all...

Nutritional Solutions for Women's Health

Nutritional Solutions for Women's Health

Content provided by INNOBIO Corporation Limited | 04-Oct-2023 | White Paper

INNOBIO provides innovative solutions for women to overcome a variety of health challenges throughout the life cycle, from emotional health, PMS management,...

Omega-3:Nutrition and Application Insight

Omega-3:Nutrition and Application Insight

Content provided by Cabio Biotech (Wuhan) Co., Ltd | 31-Jul-2023 | White Paper

Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have numerous positive health benefits and are among the most extensively studied micronutrients....

Related suppliers

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars