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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 However, there did seem to be a small benefit in the reduction of heart failure among diabetics who ate the most fish, Geleijnse noted. "It is worthwhile to further examine whether dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids could reduce the risk of heart failure in diabetics," she said.
"Fish intake may not influence risk of heart failure, but there is strong evidence that it protects against myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death and stroke," Geleijnse stated. "Therefore, it is wise to consume fish twice per week, in particular fatty fish like salmon, herring and mackerel."
Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, said that "heart failure results in substantial morbidity, mortality and health-care expenditures. Finding effective strategies to prevent heart failure is a very high priority."
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Clinical trials have shown that supplementation with certain formulations of omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of recurrent cardiovascular disease and produce modest improvements in survival in patients with established heart failure, Fonarow said.
"A prior observational study suggested that, among older adults in the U.S., dietary consumption of fish was associated with a lower incidence of heart failure," he said. "This new observational study conducted in the Netherlands did not find that self-reported dietary consumption of fish at higher levels was associated with a lower risk of heart failure," Fonarow explained.
"Only prospective randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials will be able to definitively establish whether or not omega-3 fatty acid supplementation reduces the risk of new-onset heart failure," Fonarow said. "Such studies are now ongoing."
Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine, added that "we have abundant evidence that fish consumption is good for health overall and cardiovascular health in particular. This study doesn't change that."
Even in this study, the trend for fish intake was favorable with slightly less heart failure in those consuming the most, he said. "We should expect that the incremental contribution of fish to health is modest. Fish can contribute to your health, and that of your heart, but do so most reliably in the context of healthful living," Katz said.
More information
For more information on heart failure, visit the American Heart Association. Page: << Prev | 1 | 2
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