A Spanish study has shown that they reduce the risk of adverse clinical events.
The results of a Spanish study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology demonstrate the importance of consuming foods rich in omega-3 for heart health. In particular, that the dietary approach can improve the quality and life expectancy of those who have undergone a myocardial infarction. Such subjects, presenting higher blood levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (Epa) and of alpha-linolenic acid (Ala) they are also those with a lower risk of adverse clinical events.
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“The article is important because it highlights the complementary (and non-competitive) effects of the two types of omega-3s”, has explained Aleix Sala, of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III in Madrid, among the authors of the research. To arrive at these conclusions, the researchers used data from nearly 950 patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention, whose omega-3 fatty acid levels were determined upon admission to hospital and indicated the type of diet followed in the weeks leading up to the heart attack.
The three-year follow up showed that patients with higher omega-3 levels had a lower risk of complications. During that period 211 patients underwent major adverse cardiovascular events (Mace), 108 died and 130 were again hospitalized for cardiovascular problems. Research shows that the two acids were complementary to each other. The Epa, present infish oil, provided protection against the Mace, while the Ala, which are found mainly in the nights and in soy, reduced the risk of general death. The consumption of these foods produces the effect of enriching the membranes of cardiomyocytes, an aspect that limits the myocardial damage associated with ischemia.
“Incorporating marine and vegetable omega-3s in the diet of patients at risk of cardiovascular disease is an integrative strategy to improve both their quality of life and prognosis in the event of a heart attack”, he has declared Antoni Bayés, from the Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol in Barcelona, another author of the research.
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