[Yossarian]

I had a heart attack a little over two years ago. I'm a young man, no family history, it was an odd case indeed.

Since it was such an odd case, I've made a point to visit some of the top cardiac medicine centers in the world - Stanford Hospital and The Cleveland Clinic. So I'm consulting with some smart, smart cookies.

At first, I was told to supplement my medicine regimine with fish oil pills. However, a bit over a year ago, a study came out that thought it would prove that fish oil pills taken by heart attack sufferers would reduce the risk of tachycardias occuring. But guess what - the study showed that it increased the risk of tachycardia. My top-level docs recommended I stop taking the fish oil right away.

(Tachycardia is the condition when the electrical signals in the heart don't come through clearly, and cause rapid heartbeat or complete electrical confusion. Tachycardias are a risk in heart-attack survivors, because the scar tissue they leave behind can cause electrical malfunctions.)

[The Westerner]

Good health to you, Yossarian. That's some interesting data you provide. I think people tend to jump on the bandwagon based on inadequate research, such as the cholestrol and eggs scare. Now you say fish oil increases heart risk. Maybe we should scrap our vitamins and stick to real food and ancient remedies like wine?

[mollynme]

Technically, tachycardia just means rapid heart rate. Possibly the docs were referring to ventricular tachycardia which is when the lower half of the heart takes off beating rapidly and independently of the top half - a deadly rhythm.
I know that this is just one person's anecdotal evidence but my own irregular heart beats have almost stopped since I started on twice daily (enteric coated) fish oil. I would lay in bed and feel my heart "turn over" or "flutter" but not any more. My irregularites were of the upper half of the heart (more benign) so perhaps that is where the fish oil is helpful.