Table 1.

Potential Cardiovascular Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Antidysrhythmic effects Reduced sudden death Possible prevention of atrial fibrillation Possible protection against pathologic ventricular arrhythmias Improvement in heart rate variability Antiatherogenic effects Reduction in non–HDL-C levels Reduction in TG and VLDL-C levels Reduction in chylomicrons Reduction in VLDL and chylomicron remnants Increase in HDL-C levels “Improvement” (increase) in LDL and HDL particle size Plaque stabilization Antithrombotic effects Decreased platelet aggregation Improved blood rheologic flow Anti-inflammatory and endothelial protective effects Reduced endothelial adhesion molecules and decreased leukocyte adhesion receptor expression Reduction in proinflammatory eicosanoids and leukotrienes Vasodilation Decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure

From Kwiterovitch PO Jr, ed. The Johns Hopkins Textbook of Dyslipidemia. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2010:245–257. Adapted with permission.⁹

HDL-C = high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; LDL-C = low-density lipo-protein-cholesterol; TG = triglyceride; VLDL-C = very-low-density lipoproteincholesterol.