Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Prevention of Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis?

The Relationship of Dietary Factors to Cardiovascular Diseases among Japanese in Okinawa and Japanese Immigrants, Originally from Okinawa, in Brazil.

“…This study also examined various diet-related factors among the study populations. Previously known factors such as body mass index (5) and cholesterol level (6-8) as well as newer factors such as urinary taurine (37, 39-43) excretion and n-3 series fatty acids (FA) (44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49) in plasma phospholipids, which possibly contribute to differences in the prevalence of HT and ECG ST-T changes, were investigated. Experimental data, especially those obtained from animal models for CVD such as spontanously hypertensive rats (SHR) (IS) and stroke-prone SHR (SHRSP) (16), provided findings that excess salt aggravates the development of HT and increases the incidence of stroke, whereas a high dietary intake of potassium, calcium, magnesium, unsaturated FA and proteins, especially those from animals including fish (i.e., taurine), attenuate the development of hypertension (9-11).…”

“…JB showed higher total n-6 series FA level, including linoleic acid (LA, 18:2), arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4) eicosadienoic acid (20:2), eicosatrienoic acid (20:3), and docosatetraenoic acid (22:4), than JJ. Since Dyerberg (44)(45)(46) reported that Greenland Eskimos, whose IHD mortality is among the lowest in the world, have high n-3 FA levels, derived from a diet of marine animals and fish, and have at the same time reduced platelet aggregation and increased bleeding time, many investigations have been carried out to extend these findings (47)(48)(49). N-3 series FA, especially EPA, are considered to have an inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation, through raising activity of PGI3 in arterial wall and TXA3 in platelets and reducing synthesis of TXA2 which increases platelet aggregation, having in total a beneficial effect on the process of atherosclerosis (45)(46)(47)(48).…”

Essential fatty acids as determinants of lipid requirements in infants, children and adults

“…Marine oils have antithrombotic effects via modi®cation of platelet aggregation, decreasing vascular adhesiveness, enhancing small vessel relaxation mechanisms, promoting endothelial repair and minimizing in¯am-matory responses in vessel walls (Simopoulos, 1991;Galli et al, 1994;Shimokawa & Vanhoutte, 1988;Leaf & Weber, 1988). In addition, the risk of heart disease can be indirectly modi®ed by effects on plasma lipoproteins, cholesterol uptake by macrophages, foam cell formation and cell proliferation in vessel walls, blood pressure regulation, changes in cardiac electrophysiologic responses to betamimetics, in the susceptibility to arrhythmias and reduced excitability of cardiac myocytes (Charnock, 1991;Dyerberg et al, 1978;Harris et al, 1988;Knapp & FitzGerald, 1989;. In a prospective randomized controlled trial of ®sh oil as an antiarrythmic agent, patients with spontaneous ventricular premature complexes (VPC) were given ®sh oil (0.9 g EPA 1.5 g DHA) or n-6-rich sun¯ower oil (5 g LA) for 16 weeks.…”

Acute in vivo administration of a fish oil-containing emulsion improves post-ischemic cardiac function in n-3-depleted rats

“…Dietary choices may have a role in the prevention and causation of coronary heart diseases (CHD) and numerous studies have shown a relationship between high consumption of fatty fish oil and low mortality following CHD (2,3). Even if the role of diet in promoting health and preventing disease is difficult to elucidate due to the complex network of nutrients and other ingredients (4), the beneficial effects of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids on CHD outcome have been largely documented.…”