Role of omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention of atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, affecting more than 2.6 million people in the United States. It occurs frequently after myocardial infarction and is the most common arrhythmia following cardiac surgery. AF increases the risk of morbidity and mortality from stroke, thromboembolism, and death. AF may be caused by ectopic activity in one or more of the pulmonary veins. Focal ectopic activity can be generated by abnormal atrial automaticity, delayed afterdepolarizations from calcium overload, or early afterdepolarizations secondary to defective repolarization properties. Pathologic mechanisms may include autonomic dysfunction, inflammation, and fibrosis. Omega-3 fatty acids (polyunsaturated fatty acids [PUFAs]) have been shown to induce beneficial effects in the treatment of coronary artery disease. They may also reduce sudden cardiac death and the incidence of arrhythmias. Therefore, studies have been conducted to evaluate the benefits of PUFAs in arrhythmia prevention. This review describes the effects of PUFAs in AF and provides the current literature in the prevention of AF.