Omega-3 recommended for diabetics, CHD patients

Many practicing physicians are now prescribing supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids for patients classified as high-risk to develop heart attacks and strokes.

Since diabetics belong to this high-risk group and are, in fact, classified as a coronary heart disease (CHD) equivalent, leading medical experts in diabetes or diabetologists in the country are also now recommending the use of omega-3 for these patients.

Patients with diabetes are considered CHD equivalent because they have a similar risk of suffering from a heart attack or other cardiovascular complications as patients with established heart disease or those who already had a previous heart attack.

Clinical evidence supporting the clinical benefits of omega-3 supplementation is now accumulating and is published in prestigious international journals.

In a well-received analysis of all well-designed clinical trials evaluating cholesterol-modulating drugs including statins and fibrates published in the Archives of Internal Medicine recently, omega-3 PUFA has been shown to have the most significant benefit in terms of improving the survival and lifespan of heart patients.

The role of omega-3 in preventing sudden death especially in those with irregular heart beats or arrhythmia is also mounting.

Studies show that about half of all deaths from heart disease are sudden and unexpected, regardless of the underlying disease.

This may be due to narrowing of the coronary arteries in patients with diabetes or cholesterol problems, and degeneration of the heart muscle or to cardiac enlargement in patients with high blood pressure.

While deaths from coronary artery disease have fallen, mortality from sudden cardiac death remains the most common cause of death in many countries.

Previous heart attack victims have a risk of sudden death, which is four to six times the rate of the general population.

Women are not necessarily the stronger sex in relation to sudden death. Older women who have had heart attacks are twice as likely as men to die from them within a few weeks.

To prevent sudden cardiac death, one must treat the underlying problems, i.e. coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and other risk factors.

Over the last 10 years, there are now convincing scientific data showing that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish oil may have a significant clinical application in the prevention of sudden cardiac death.

Heart experts, including those of the American Heart Association (AHA), have recommended omega-3 in the prevention of heart attack, stroke and sudden cardiac death.

It has been suggested that the decreased mortality associated with fish intake may be partly due to a reduction by omega-3 fatty acids of fatal arrhythmias leading to cardiac arrest.

Several clinical trials, including the highly acclaimed GISSI Prevenzione Trial published in the prestigious Lancet medical journal, have shown a consistent effect of omega-3 in reducing the incidence of sudden cardiac death.

In the same trials, no significant cardiovascular benefits have been reported with vitamin E.

A locally available brand of omega-3 supplement is Omegabloc, which is an over-the-counter food supplement in most Mercury and Watson drug stores nationwide.

It comes in one-gram softgels and is recommended at a dose of two to three softgel capsules daily. It is manufactured by a leading manufacturer of food supplements in the United States.

Trianon International, the local distributor of Omegabloc, is welcoming provincial distributors, according to Francis Melegrito, Trianon national sales manager. Interested parties may call 892-0723, 892-0724, 815-3239 or 813-5436.