Prevent Sudden Death
Beate March 1st, 2007
Taking Fish Oil Supplements May Prevent Sudden Death by Cardiac Arrest
In a recent study in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, fish oil supplements were found to be effective in preventing sudden cardiac death.
The study measured the possible outcomes of using three variables with live-saving potential in a simulated town of 100,000 subjects aged between 30 - 84: (1) portable defibrillators (AED’s), devices used to shock the heart during cardiac arrest, placed in every home and public area in a medium-sized town, (2) the implantation of cardioverter defibrillators (ICD’s) in candidates exhibiting symptoms necessitating such a procedure (about half of those who die from cardiac arrest have no symptoms prior to the event), and (3) the preventative use of fish oil dietary supplements.The use of fish oil supplements to boost levels of Omega-3 fatty acids in the adult population resulted in a 6.4% reduction in death – 58 lives per year. In fact, the preventative use of supplements proved eight times more effective than distributing AED’s and two times more effective than the surgically placed ICD’s.
Although the study was computer-simulated (thereby avoiding the prohibitive costs associated with providing and implanting the two electronic devices used as variables), it utilized data from two previously conducted, large-scale studies of actual participants.
The study clearly suggests that by supplementing diets with Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil, those who appear healthy, but are at-risk for future cardiac arrhythmias or cardiac arrest, have a better chance for survival than those who do not.
“Preventing Sudden Death with n-3 (Omega-3) Fatty Acids and Defibrillators.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2006 Oct;31(4):316.
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