Posted on 10/02/2006 9:15:49 PM PDT by neverdem
ROME — Every patient in the cardiac care unit at the San Filippo Neri Hospital who survives a heart attack goes home with a prescription for purified fish oil, or omega-3 fatty acids.
“It is clearly recommended in international guidelines,” said Dr. Massimo Santini, the hospital’s chief of cardiology, who added that it would be considered tantamount to malpractice in Italy to omit the drug.
In a large number of studies, prescription fish oil has been shown to improve survival after heart attacks and to reduce fatal heart rhythms. The American College of Cardiology recently strengthened its position on the medical benefit of fish oil, although some critics say that studies have not defined the magnitude of the effect.
But in the United States, heart attack victims are not generally given omega-3 fatty acids, even as they are routinely offered more expensive and invasive treatments, like pills to lower cholesterol or implantable defibrillators. Prescription fish oil, sold under the brand name Omacor, is not even approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in heart patients.
“Most cardiologists here are not giving omega-3’s even though the data supports it — there’s a real disconnect,” said Dr. Terry Jacobson, a preventive cardiologist at Emory University in Atlanta. “They have been very slow to incorporate the therapy.”
The fact that heart patients receive such different treatments in sophisticated hospitals around the world highlights the central role that drug companies play in disseminating medical information, experts said.
Because prescription fish oil is not licensed to prevent heart disease in the United States, drug companies may not legally promote it for that purpose at conferences, in doctors’ offices, to patients or even on the Internet.
“If people paid more attention to guidelines, more people would be on the drug,” Dr. Jacobson said. “But...”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
So is there a nonprescription alternative?
Herbalife was promoting this stuff 20 years ago.
In the US, only FDA approved drugs can actually be beneficial to people - Silly.
Follow the money to find each and every nonsensical thing congress pushes down our throats(or not in this case) in these United States.
Sure lots of Omega-3 stuff on the market
The downside of this treatment for the U.S. medical industry would be that fish oil doesn't cost $250 a bottle.
You can get high quality omega 3's at a health food place. Some molecularly distilled, like Jarrows.
Studies in the 60s and 70s also showed the importance of Magnesium. Absolutely essential for something like 300 enzyme processes in the body. Many chronic cases of angina were cured with Magnesium. Just google "magnesium heart"
Also the Budwig diet....a spoon of flax-oil a day mixed with yougart is touted to reduce cholesterol by half in six months.
Why doesn't the NY Times pack up its operations and move to Europe. I'm sure that its management and employees would be much more happy if that were the case. They could call it an extended vacation a la the French.
So, people aren't smart enough to know about EFA and they can't quite find a health food store where they can buy all the Omega 3 EFA capsules they need for next to nothing?
No, they have to be TOLD. Nanny state and all that. Jeez.....
Most health food stores carry Omega-3 products. There are also Omega-6 and Omega-9.
Fish oil is the primary source, but there are some alternate vegetable source products, too.
Shoot, you're right, I should have known that :o)
the fish oil seems to have helped me.
Go to www.lef.org. Order their Mega GLA/DHA (the important Omega-3's) with Sesame Lignans. They are fanatic about the quality of products they sell. They cost a little more than other companies but it's worth it.
It's OTC. Lots of evidence that it prevents heart attacks in the first place and prevents reoccurence.
From what I've read about the whole cholesterol thing, it was bad science that gave it the rep in the first place.
Cholesterol is very important to the body, being the building block of most of the hormones, and used in tissue repair, I think it's involved in collagen synthesis.
When some of the early studies of heart problems were done, the cholesterol found imbedded in the arteries was assumed to be the cause. But it was a symptom of artery inflammation and the effects of oxidative stress. The cholesterol was there because the body was trying to fix the problem.
85% of the cholesterol in your body never passed your lips. It was made in your very own liver.
Clearly, diet is important. But IMHO the "fad" part of medicine has poorly served many. There is now a skyrocketing number of breat cancer cases. But as they've recently discovered, these cases could be significantly reduced by vitamin D. Same deal with colon cancer. Estimates are 50,000 more people a year died from other forms of cancer than might have gotten skin cancer if people got enough vitamin D.
Now they are saying if you don't get enough Omega 3's, your cells will take up the trans-fats into the cell membranes. And they totally mess up the chemistry of the cell.
Fish oil has many benefits. In addition to the ones mentioned, it also helps alleviate dry eye, especially in post-menopausal women. The only thing bad about fish oil is it gives you oily hair and skin when taken in large quantities. The lower quality forms can also go rancid and taste fishy, so it pays to use the purified product.
E-mail me and I will tell where to get it!
Heart Health™ Essential Omega III Essential Omega III helps maintain healthy triglyceride and cholesterol levels by providing omega-3 fatty acids and beneficial fish oils, which have been clinically demonstrated to provide a host of benefits that successfully promote cardiovascular health.
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