Effects of a fish oil supplement on blood pressure and serum lipids in patients treated for coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a concentrate of fish oil on blood pressure and serum lipids in patients treated for coronary artery disease.

DESIGN

One hundred and twenty-five patients were randomly assigned to receive 15 g/day MaxEPA (4.5 g eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids) or olive oil. Blood pressure and serum lipids were measured at enrollment and six months thereafter.

MAIN RESULTS

As an important proportion of antihypertensive or antianginal drug users stopped their usual medication during the trial, blood pressure increased in both groups. The increase in systolic blood pressure was less in the fish oil group than in the control group (P = 0.002). Serum triglyceride levels decreased markedly in the fish oil group while they remained constant in the control group (P = 0.0001). Fish oil supplementation had no effect on total cholesterol and only marginal independent influence on high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, fish oil supplementation has a beneficial effect on blood pressure and serum triglycerides in patients treated for coronary artery disease.