Originally published September 19 2005
Fatty fish can aid in heart arrhythmia
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Arrhythmias in the heart occur when the heart beats outside the boundaries of natural heartbeat rhythm -- either too few or too many beats per minute -- and while omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish like salmon and tuna can prevent and treat heart rhythm irregularities, a recent study suggests giving omega-3 supplements to patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators can actually worsen heart rhythm problems.
Arrhythmias The heart beats through a synchronized series of electrical impulses.
Many people experience a sudden, temporary change in heart rhythm.
A slowed heartbeat reduces the ability of the heart to pump blood to the body.
Rapid heartbeats interfere with the heart's ability to fill with blood (the blood is pumped out faster than it returns to the heart).
If not controlled, ventricular tachycardia can lead to ventricular fibrillation, a condition in which the electrical signals are rapid and chaotic.
When the symptoms can't be controlled with drugs, doctors may recommend implantation with a device called a cardioverter defibrillator.
A defibrillator contains a battery powered pulse generator and wire leads.
If an abnormal heart rhythm is detected, the pulse generator delivers an electrical shock through the wire leads to the heart.
Fish Oil for the Heart Fish oil is high in an important nutrient, called omega-3 fatty acids.
Fatty fish, like mackerel, lake trout, albacore tuna and salmon, are good sources of two types of omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Omega-3 fatty acids have also shown some benefits in lowering the risk of clot formation, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and sudden death from heart disease.
They theorized the omega-3 fatty acids in fish and fish oil supplements may help prevent heart rhythm problems that could cause sudden death.
To test the hypothesis, investigators enrolled 200 patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators who had recently experienced a sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation.
When analyzing the data, the researchers found participants who took the fish oil supplements had a significantly increased number of incidents of ventricular arrhythmia.
In other words, for patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, it appears a fish oil supplement may actually make heart rhythm problems worse.
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