Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and membrane-stabilizing properties that indicate they could be useful in suppressing cardiac rhythm disorders. These natural dietary constituents are of particular interest for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, a common and problematic cardiac arrhythmia. However, a new, well-designed clinical study has raised major questions about their value for this indication.
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Acknowledgements
The authors are supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MGP6957 and MOP44365), the Quebec Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Foundation Leducq (European–North American Atrial Fibrillation Research Alliance, ENAFRA, 07/CVD-03), the MITACS Network, and the Atrial Fibrillation Innovation Center, an Ohio Wright Center Initiative.
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S. Nattel is a consultant for Pierre Fabre Laboratories. D. R. Van Wagoner has received research support from GlaxoSmithKline.
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Nattel, S., Van Wagoner, D. Therapy with omega-3 fatty acids—is the case closed?. Nat Rev Cardiol 8, 126–128 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrcardio.2011.11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrcardio.2011.11
