Statins, Omega-3 Combination May Reduce Heart Failure Risk in Men

Men taking statins who consume fish may have a lower risk of heart failure (HF) than women, according to a recent study.

The findings were presented on July 16, 2017, at the 22nd World Congress on Heart Disease in Canada.
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Past research has indicated that consumption of fish or omega-3 fatty acids can lower the risk of HF. However, it remains unclear whether statins modify this relationship.

In their study, the researchers assessed a cohort of 19,020 participants enrolled in the Physicians’ Health Study, 34.7% of whom were statin users. Fish consumption was evaluated via a food frequency questionnaire administered between 1999 and 2002, and rates of HF were determined in yearly follow-up questionnaires. Cox regression was used to estimate multivariable adjusted hazard ratios of HF. Mean follow-up was 11.3 years.

Demographic information indicated that mean participant age at baseline was 66.4 years.

Analysis showed that 930 cases of HF occurred throughout the follow-up period. Fish intake was associated with a lower risk of HF only in men taking statins, after adjusting for age, body mass index, alcohol use, smoking, exercise, and history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation.

In a secondary analysis, the researchers noted an inverse and nonlinear relation between dietary marine omega-3 fatty acids with HF among men using statin. However, this relationship was not observed in men not using statin.

“Our data suggest that statin modifies the association of fish consumption and dietarymarine omega-3 with HF risk by statin in US male physicians,” the researchers concluded.

—Christina Vogt

Reference:

Djousse L, Gaziano JM. Statin modifies the association of fish consumption with risk of heart failure: the Physicians’ Health Study. Cardiology. 2017;137(Suppl. 1):257. doi:10.1159/issn.0008-6312.