Fish oil prevents potentially deadly decline in heart rate variability in elderly

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Public release date: 15-Dec-2005

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-12/ats-fop121405.php

Contact: Suzy

smartin@...

American Thoracic Society

Fish oil prevents potentially deadly decline in heart rate variability

A two-gram fish oil supplement given daily to elderly persons prevented

a decline in heart rate variability caused by tiny, dangerous airborne

pollutant particles. Heart rate variability, a measure of the autonomic

nervous system's regulation of the heart, is an independent risk factor

for cardiac arrhythmias, heart attack or sudden death.

These findings appeared in the second issue of the December 2005

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, published by

the American Thoracic Society.

Holguin, M.D., of the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, and eight associates provided fish oil

supplements to 26 residents of a nursing home in Mexico City. A control

group of 24 residents was given soy oil supplements. The participants'

average age ranged from 81 to 83 years old.

" In this randomized controlled trial, fish oil supplementation prevented

the reduction in heart rate variability associated with the same-day

exposure to indoor particulate matter, " said Dr. Holguin. " In contrast,

soy oil, our comparison supplementation of plant-derived polyunsaturated

fatty acids, was associated with a marginal, nonsignificant protection

from the effects of particulate matter on heart rate variability. "

" Fish oil as a source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids could be

considered as a potential form of preventive measure to reduce the risk

of arrhythmia and sudden death in elderly subjects exposed to ambient

air pollution, " said Dr. Holguin.

In the study, the residents were exposed to tiny indoor air pollutant

particles that had a dimension of 2.5 microns or less. All participants

spent 92 percent of their time indoors.

The supplement study was conducted over six months. None of the patients

suffered from cardiac arrhythmias, had a pacemaker or were being treated

with oral anticoagulants.

Participants had their heart rate variability checked between 8 a.m. and

1 p.m. on alternate weekdays. To ensure accurate measurement, the

subjects lay flat on their back five minutes before starting the test.

Each electronic analysis lasted 6 minutes as each participant rested.

Prior to the beginning of the study, all participants had a low intake

of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The authors called for larger studies to confirm their results.

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Contact: Holguin, M.D., 1600 Clifton Road N. E., MSE-17,

Atlanta, GA 30333 Phone: E-mail: fch5@...

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