Fish Consumption Linked to Heart Abnormality

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Fish Consumption Linked to Heart Abnormality By Randy Dotinga

 

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HealthDay Reporter Thu May 18, 7:08 PM ET

 

 

 

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THURSDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Putting a confusing twist on the health

value of fish oil, a new study suggests that eating lots of fish may actually

boost the risk of atrial fibrillation, a potentially dangerous heart condition,

in certain people.

 

However, the heavy fish eaters in the study still had a lower risk of sudden

death from heart problems, and the study's lead author said the research

shouldn't stop anybody from eating fish.

 

 

In recent years, many doctors have urged patients to eat oily fish -- such as

mackerel, herring, albacore tuna and salmon -- or take fish oil supplements.

Both contain omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to better recovery from

heart disease and a lower risk in older people of atrial fibrillation, in which

the heart's electrical system malfunctions, and the muscle fails to beat in an

orderly fashion.

 

 

But it's not entirely clear that omega-3 fats are good for the general

population without heart disease. And some research has suggested they may

actually boost the risk of atrial fibrillation in certain people, such as those

younger than 60.

 

In the new study, researchers analyzed data from nearly 17,700 U.S. male

doctors who took part in the Physicians' Health Study. The men answered

questions about their fish consumption in 1983 and were asked in 1998 if they

had developed atrial fibrillation.

 

 

After adjusting the data to account for factors like existing heart disease,

the researchers found that men who ate fish more than five times a week were 61

percent more likely to develop atrial fibrillation, compared to those who ate

fish once a month. In total, about 7 percent of all the men in the study said

they developed the condition, which is somewhat common among the elderly but

rarer among younger people.

 

The findings were to be released Thursday at the Heart Rhythm Society's annual

meeting, in Boston.

 

 

What could explain the seemingly contradictory finding?

 

It's possible that omega-3 fatty acids may actually promote the development of

atrial fibrillation in younger people but prevent it in older people who have

other medical conditions, said study author Dr. Anthony Aizer, an

electrophysiologist at New York University Medical Center.

 

 

He added that atrial fibrillation isn't as great a risk in people who don't

have conditions like congestive heart disease and high blood pressure. " Younger

people are significantly less likely to have these additional medical

conditions, " he said. " As a result, the risk in younger people as a whole is

likely to be significantly lower. "

 

Aizer acknowledged that the study didn't rely on " gold standard " methods, such

as double-blind, placebo-controlled research. So, it's possible that another

unknown factor could explain the rise in atrial fibrillation cases seen in study

participants, he said.

 

 

That possibility makes sense to Dr. Marie-Noelle Langan, chief of

electrophysiology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She said it's

possible that the male doctors who ate a lot of fish each week were

health-minded athletes, who can be prone to atrial fibrillation.

 

 

" It's possible this is a group of very fit people who run like maniacs, "

Langan said. " It doesn't take that many patients to throw off the statistics. "

 

Langan's hospital plans to launch its own study into fish oil and atrial

fibrillation.

 

So should you take fish oil supplements or eat a lot of oily fish?

 

" There is no evidence that it's dangerous for your life, " said Dr. Francesco

Santoni, who's also an electrophysiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital. However,

" it's unclear what effect it has in the general population on arrhythmias, " or

heart rhythm disturbances.

 

Aizer had similar views. " The message of this study is not to stop eating

fish, " he said. " Fish may have different effects on different people. Lifestyle

and dietary habits need to be tailored on an individual basis to promote overall

health. "

For now, he said, " clearly, more investigation is needed to reach a more

definitive answer about the multiple effects of omega-3 fatty acid on the

heart's electrical function. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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