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Association between n–3 fatty acid consumption and ventricular ectopy after myocardial infarction^1,2,3

¹ From the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (PJS, JAB, MAB, AG, AS, and LLW) and Medicine (MHS), Duke University, Durham, NC.

² Supported by National Institutes of Health grants HL060826, HL070954, and HL080664-01A1.

³ Reprints not available. Address correspondence to LL Watkins, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Box 3119, Duke Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710. E-mail address: watki017{at}mc.duke.edu.

Background: n–3 (omega-3) Fatty acids are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease; however, the relation between dietary intake of n–3 fatty acids and ventricular arrhythmias has not been investigated among acute post-myocardial infarction (AMI) patients—a group at elevated risk of malignant arrhythmias.

Objective: The objective was to examine the association between n–3 fatty acid consumption and ventricular ectopy among AMI patients.

Design: In 260 AMI patients, dietary intake of n–3 fatty acids was assessed by using the Harvard food-frequency questionnaire, and ventricular ectopy was estimated from 24-h electrocardiograph recordings.

Results: A greater intake of n–3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid + docosapentaenoic acid + -linolenic acid) was associated with lower ventricular ectopy (β = –0.35, P = 0.011), and this effect remained after cardiovascular comorbidities were controlled for (β = –0.47, P = 0.003). Higher concentrations of both marine-based (eicosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid) (β = –0.21, P = 0.060) and plant-based (-linolenic acid) (β = –0.33, P = 0.024) fatty acids remained associated with lower ventricular ectopy after cardiovascular comorbidities were controlled for.

Conclusion: These findings extend existing evidence linking n–3 fatty acid consumption to a reduced risk of ventricular arrhythmias by showing that a greater intake of n–3 fatty acids may be associated with low ventricular ectopy among AMI patients.