Arrhythmia Prevention With an Alpha-Linolenic Enriched Diet

Overview

An alpha linolenic acid (ALA) rich diet in the Lyon Diet Heart Study reduced sudden cardiac deaths possibly by reducing cardiac arrhythmias and ventricular fibrillation (Lancet 1994). Since then, there has been a growing interest in ALA, ω-3 fatty acid family precursor, as a cardioprotective nutrient. Much of the interest has focused on the potential antiarrhythmic effect of longer chain ω-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, derived from fish. We therefore concluded it important to test wether vegetable source ω-3 also had antiarrhythmic effects, as shown in animals by Leaf and McLennan, since this might also explain the beneficial effects seen on cardiovascular mortality in the Lyon Diet Heart Study.

Objective: To determine the effect of an ALA rich diet in reducing recurrence of atrial fibrillation as a further example of a cardiac arrhythmia. Design: Randomized parallel design efficacy study. Setting: Three university hospital centers in the Bordeaux region, France. Patients: 98 patients randomized immediately after successful atrial fibrillation electrical cardioversion. Intervention: A canola margarine and oil, versus a conventional diet (control), with a one year follow-up. Main outcome measure: Length of time to first recurrence of atrial fibrillation. Significance: If ALA is antiarrhythmic, this action may explain its cardioprotective effect in clinical trials and cohort studies.

Conditions