Dataset Information

Overview of omega-3 Fatty Acid therapies.

ABSTRACT: The triglyceride (TG)-lowering benefits of the very-long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are well documented. Available as prescription formulations and dietary supplements, EPA and DHA are recommended by the American Heart Association for patients with coronary heart disease and hypertriglyceridemia. Dietary supplements are not subject to the same government regulatory standards for safety, efficacy, and purity as prescription drugs are; moreover, supplements may contain variable concentrations of EPA and DHA and possibly other contaminants. Reducing low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels remains the primary treatment goal in the management of dyslipidemia. Dietary supplements and prescription formulations that contain both EPA and DHA may lower TG levels, but they may also increase LDL-C levels. Two prescription formulations of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids are available in the U.S. Although prescription omega-3 acid ethyl esters (OM-3-A EEs, Lovaza) contain high-purity EPA and DHA, prescription icosapent ethyl (IPE, Vascepa) is a high-purity EPA agent. In clinical trials of statin-treated and non-statin-treated patients with hypertriglyceridemia, both OM-3-A EE and IPE lowered TG levels and other atherogenic markers; however, IPE did not increase LDL-C levels. Results of recent outcomes trials of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, fibrates, and niacin have been disappointing, failing to show additional reductions in adverse cardiovascular events when combined with statins. Therefore, the REDUCE-IT study is being conducted to evaluate the effect of the combination of IPE and statins on cardiovascular outcomes in high-risk patients. The results of this trial are eagerly anticipated.

SUBMITTER: Bradberry JC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3875260 | biostudies-other | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Overview of omega-3 Fatty Acid therapies.

Bradberry J Chris JC Hilleman Daniel E DE

P & T : a peer-reviewed journal for formulary management 20131101 11

The triglyceride (TG)-lowering benefits of the very-long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are well documented. Available as prescription formulations and dietary supplements, EPA and DHA are recommended by the American Heart Association for patients with coronary heart disease and hypertriglyceridemia. Dietary supplements are not subject to the same government regulatory standards for safety, efficacy, and purity as prescription drugs are; more ...[more]

PMID: 24391388

Similar Datasets

Project description:Study questionIs self-reported use of omega-3 fatty acid supplements associated with fecundability, the probability of natural conception, in a given menstrual cycle?Summary answerProspectively recorded omega-3 supplement use was associated with an increased probability of conceiving.What is known alreadyIn infertile women, omega-3 fatty acid intake has been associated with increased probability of pregnancy following IVF. In natural fertility, studies are conflicting, and no study of natural fertility has evaluated omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and fecundity.Study design, size, durationSecondary data analysis of 900 women contributing 2510 cycles in Time to Conceive (TTC), a prospective, time to pregnancy cohort study from 2008 to December 2015.Participants/materials, setting, methodsWomen aged 30-44 years, trying to conceive <3 months, without history of infertility were followed using standardized pregnancy testing. While attempting to conceive, women daily recorded menstrual cycle events and supplement and medication intake using the Cerner Multum Drug Database. Supplements and vitamins containing omega-3 were identified. Omega-3 use, defined as use in at least 20% of days in a given menstrual cycle, in each pregnancy attempt cycle was determined. A discrete-time Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate the fecundability ratio.Main results and the role of chanceWomen taking omega-3 supplementation were more likely to be younger, thinner, nulligravid, white and to take vitamin D, prenatal and multivitamins compared to women not taking omega-3s. After adjusting for age, obesity, race, previous pregnancy, vitamin D and prenatal and multivitamin use, women taking omega-3 supplements had 1.51 (95% CI 1.12, 2.04) times the probability of conceiving compared to women not taking omega-3s.Limitations, reasons for cautionOur study was not a randomized controlled trial. The women who used omega-3 supplements may represent a more health-conscious population. We sought to address this by adjusting for multiple factors in our model. Additionally, the omega-3 fatty acid supplements that TTC participants used included multiple types and brands with varying dosages of omega-3 fatty acids. Women reported the type of supplement they were taking but not the concentration of omega-3s in that supplement. It is therefore not possible to compare dosing or a dose-response relationship in our study.Wider implications of the findingsOmega-3 supplementation may present a feasible and inexpensive modifiable factor to improve fertility. Randomized controlled trials are needed to further investigate the benefits of omega-3 supplementation for women trying to conceive naturally.Study funding/competing interestsThis study was supported by the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the NIH/NICHD (R21 HD060229-01 and R01 HD067683-01), and in part by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Z01ES103333). The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.Trial registration numberN/A.

Dataset Information

Overview of omega-3 Fatty Acid therapies.

Publications

Overview of omega-3 Fatty Acid therapies.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets