Reductions seen in left ventricular systolic volume index and noninfarct myocardial fibrosis
TUESDAY, Aug. 2, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients who take high doses of omega-3 fatty acids for six months show improved heart function and less scarring, according to a study published in the Aug. 2 issue of Circulation.
Raymond Kwong, M.D., director of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and colleagues followed 358 AMI survivors for six months. Half of them were given 4 g of omega-3 fatty acid supplements daily for six months, while the other half were given placebo.
Using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, the researchers found there was a 6 percent improvement in both left ventricular systolic volume index (5.8 percent) and noninfarct myocardial fibrosis (5.6 percent) among patients who took 4 g of omega-3 fatty acids daily. Patients in the omega-3 fatty acid arm also showed significant reductions in serum biomarkers of systemic and vascular inflammation.
“Treatment of patients with AMI with high-dose omega-3 fatty acids was associated with reduction of adverse left ventricular remodeling, noninfarct myocardial fibrosis, and serum biomarkers of systemic inflammation beyond current guideline-based standard of care,” the authors write.
Copyright © 2016 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
