In Europe It’s Fish Oil After Heart Attacks, but Not in U.S.

NY Times ^ | October 3, 2006 | ELISABETH ROSENTHAL

[neverdem]

ROME — Every patient in the cardiac care unit at the San Filippo Neri Hospital who survives a heart attack goes home with a prescription for purified fish oil, or omega-3 fatty acids.

“It is clearly recommended in international guidelines,” said Dr. Massimo Santini, the hospital’s chief of cardiology, who added that it would be considered tantamount to malpractice in Italy to omit the drug.

In a large number of studies, prescription fish oil has been shown to improve survival after heart attacks and to reduce fatal heart rhythms. The American College of Cardiology recently strengthened its position on the medical benefit of fish oil, although some critics say that studies have not defined the magnitude of the effect.

But in the United States, heart attack victims are not generally given omega-3 fatty acids, even as they are routinely offered more expensive and invasive treatments, like pills to lower cholesterol or implantable defibrillators. Prescription fish oil, sold under the brand name Omacor, is not even approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in heart patients.

“Most cardiologists here are not giving omega-3’s even though the data supports it — there’s a real disconnect,” said Dr. Terry Jacobson, a preventive cardiologist at Emory University in Atlanta. “They have been very slow to incorporate the therapy.”

The fact that heart patients receive such different treatments in sophisticated hospitals around the world highlights the central role that drug companies play in disseminating medical information, experts said.

Because prescription fish oil is not licensed to prevent heart disease in the United States, drug companies may not legally promote it for that purpose at conferences, in doctors’ offices, to patients or even on the Internet.

“If people paid more attention to guidelines, more people would be on the drug,” Dr. Jacobson said. “But...”

[AppyPappy]

I take a fish oil pill with my Bisoprolol, Glucosomine and multi-vitamin. My knees sure feel better anyway.

[ichabod1]

I'm taking Whole Foods 365 brand Fish Oil. 13.99 for 250 count bottle. I started it because the doctors were killing me with prescriptions, financially that is, and it seems to be helping a lot. That and lots of yoga.

[Tokra]

If you are taking prescription meds for HBP, cholesterol, Diabetes, etc. DO NOT take this stuff in large doses without talking to your doctor first. Seriously. Niacin, for example, has a powerful blood pressure reduction effect and you must be careful taking it.

I had a major heart attack 9 years ago, developed high blood pressure 3 years ago and developed diabetes a year ago. I take medication for HBP, diabetes & cholesterol. At my last physical my doctor told me to start taking fish oil capsules. When I asked her which ones - she said just to buy the cheaper store brand. She said fish oil oil is fish oil.

[swmobuffalo]

"every bottle of fish oil out there is full of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids"

Wonder if this why cod-liver oil was used years ago.

[Tokra]

...waiting for a fish-oil limerick...

I bought me a bottle of fish oil
My doctor said I was being disloyal
I told him too bad
So now he is sad
His plans for a new Rolls I did spoil

[backhoe]

I believe you will see an improvement quickly. How much does she weigh? I'm giving Bogie (probably about 50 lbs) 1 1/2 grams Ester C twice a day as well as the glucosamin at the same time. I crush it and mix it in with yummy food. Good luck. These old dogs are important to us. To show to what lengths we're going, we must go on a long trip to our grandson's wedding. We are taking our motor home instead of flying just so we can take Bogie with us. He's blind and we have no one that can take care of him.

Our old girl is about 40 pounds- she turned thirteen last March, and that's when she started going lame.

You're a good soul for going out of your way for Bogie-- our animals ask so little, and give so much back... they'll suffer all sorts of misery just to spend another day with us- we owe them as much help as can be given.

[Yossarian]

Check out my posts 48 and 54. I'll try to dig up a link to the study showing that us heart-attack survivors should avoid fish oil, as it may increase the risk of ventricular tachycardia / ventricular fibrillation. When this study came out (a bit over a year ago) my docs told me to stop adding Fish Oil pills to my medicine regimen.

[television is just wrong]

yes

[television is just wrong]

Take fish oil as a preventative measure, that way you NEVER need to worry about it....

Cayenne pepper is also very good for you circulatory system. Clears out the old hardening cr@p you don't need and opens everything up so everything works better. Have to be careful to take it with food though...

And NOT HOT COFFEE OR TEA...

[television is just wrong]

drink lots and lots of water. Look up chronic dehydration on google. Lots of healtful information there too.

[AFreeBird]

When some of the early studies of heart problems were done, the cholesterol found imbedded in the arteries was assumed to be the cause. But it was a symptom of artery inflammation and the effects of oxidative stress. The cholesterol was there because the body was trying to fix the problem.

85% of the cholesterol in your body never passed your lips. It was made in your very own liver.

Vitamin C would help out the arteries a lot IMHO. Humans are one of only three mammals (Human, Gorilla, and Ginuea pig) that DO NOT produce their own C. And C is necessary for keeping arteries elastic and whole. I read somehwere that C in serium in the blood from a mamal that produces its own,, would equate to around 4~5 thousand mg's a day for an average sized human.

Also regarding cholesterol. The brain also produces its own, cholesteral, as it is too large to cross the blood brain barrier. Unfortunately, drugs like lipitor are small enough to pass that barrier and can affect the brains own supply of cholesteral, leading too all sorts of mental degeneration problems.

Click the pick for more info on statin drugs from someone not trained in hysterics.

[Gondring]

What any sensible person would do is investigate the subject and bring it up with their doctor, not wait until the doctor brings it up with them.

Please ask your physician if he enjoys being badgered about every possible question, instead of letting him do his job and suggest to you the best care.

It's part of the conduct of a "professional" to act responsibly. I don't know of any true profession that doesn't have some aspect of that as part of its foundation. Structural engineers are expected to point out buildings that are about to fall; a pharmacist is expected to point out possible dangerous interactions; a geologist is expected to notify residents if a nearby volcano is about to erupt; etc. A patient should be able to be confident that his physician will suggest the appropriate care, not require him to guess the right question to ask!

[djf]

Bats also do not produce Vit C.

I read they studied a 150 pound goat, measured the serum Vit C level, and deduced he was making about 15,000 mg a day!

And when they put him under stress, it went up to an incredible 100,000 mg a day.

Very interesting side article by the astronaut.

I'd go to my grave before I took a statin. (mebbe I will, who knows, but I've heard alot of nasties)

[statered]

And physicians are there in part to answer your questions about your healthcare, not to read your mind. If they are not telling you to take fish oil they probably have a good reason in their mind but you know what? They might not tell you unless you ask.

In my experience physicians are more than happy to answer questions, especially good ones. Seems to me they are "doing their job and suggesting to you the best care" and yet you bitch that they don't tell you about fish oil? and then you say you shouldn't ask questions because they don't like being badgered?

[ncpatriot]

Did your cardiologist recommend a particular brand of Omega-3 fish oil capsules?

[Rightfootforward]

"Did your cardiologist recommend a particular brand of Omega-3 fish oil capsules?"

No, he didn't. Rather than advertise a brand name on our forum, I'll just say that we buy large bottles of our fish oil capsules at a health food chain store we know and trust.

[gaijin]

marking

[WaterDragon]

Apparently, some studies indicate omega-3 does help avoid fibrillations, but other studies show no such effect. What would be helpful would be to see the studies done in Europe that have convinced them.

It isn't always just the drug companies, you know. It may be the European studies have been no more definitive than the American ones.

I take omega-3 twice daily. It provides, after I researched it, a number of possible benefits. I do know that it smooths out mood, and my cholesterols have never moved out of the perfect range since I began taking it. But I also think that may not work for everyone.

[neverdem]

Enter omega-3 fatty acids and coronary artery disease at Pubmed. You might want to check limits and use European languages. I got English abstracts when I checked.

[The Westerner]

Thank you for the suggestion. I tried to drink two bottles of water during golf today instead of one. It's certainly possible that we don't drink enough water, but it's also possible that aging plays a part in dry eye syndrome.