Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Intermediate Markers of Cardiovascular Disease. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment No. 93

摘要

Epidemiologic studies and clinical trials have reported beneficial effects of fish/omega-3 fatty acid consumption on several cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes, such as sudden death, cardiac death, and stroke. However, the mechanisms of the benefit are unclear. As the second of a 3-part report on this topic, we performed a systematic review of the literature to assess the effect of consumption on omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5 n-3), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6 n-3), and alpha-linolinic acid (ALA, 18:3 n-3)) on various CVD risk factors and intermediate markers of CVD in healthy people, people with dyslipidemia, diabetes, or known CVD. We searched Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Biological Abstracts, and Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau databases for potentially relevant studies. We screened over 7,464 abstracts and retrieved 807 full text articles. We analyzed 123 studies that met inclusion criteria to address the key questions in this report. We included studies in which the amount of fish or omega-3 fatty acid intake was quantified, less than 6 g of omega-3 fatty acid per day was consumed, and of at least 4 weeks' duration.