A new study reported in the March 31 issue of The Lancet found that the Omega 3 fatty acids usually found in fish and fish oil increase a patients chance of avoiding heart trouble than taking statins alone. The study which was conducted in Japan is the first test of its kind.

The study author Dr. Mitsuhiro Yokoyama said, "Our study shows that long-term use of EPA (an omega-3 fatty acid) at therapeutic doses is effective for prevention of major coronary events in hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) patients given statins in Japan who consume a large amount of fish."

Yokoyama gave the 18,645 participants of the study either a statin alone, or paired the statin with 1,800 milligrams of one of the omega-3 fatty acids.

According to HealthDay News, “During an average follow-up of 4.6 years, the researchers found a 19 percent reduction in major coronary events among patients taking EPA. Patients taking EPA also had 19 percent fewer non-fatal events -- including non-fatal heart attack, unstable angina, and coronary revascularization -- than people taking statins alone. However, the incidence of sudden cardiac death and death from heart disease did not differ between the groups.”

Yokoyama added, “The preventive effects of EPA are of both clinical interest and therapeutic importance, EPA is thought to exert its plaque-stabilization effect via mechanisms that are independent of a reduction in cholesterol.”

Could this be the beginning of future pill that would couple the omega-fatty acids with a statin? We will have to wait and see?

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