(25-09-07) Got Rhythm? High Fish Consumption Linked to Improved Electrocardiograms

The traditional Mediterranean diet, high in fruits, vegetables, bread and cereals, beans, nuts, seeds, some fish and olive oil, is associated with lower incidence of several chronic diseases, including heart disease. It is often recommended as the basis for a healthy diet in western countries. Although Mediterranean food habits have many healthful components, it is not clear how substantial is the contribution of fish to the good health of Mediterranean people. Low consumption of red meats, dairy fats and processed foods may also contribute to their health.

Regular fish consumption favorably affects the electrical properties of the heart in most people. The oils in fish contribute to stable heart rhythms, thereby offsetting one of the underlying abnormalities in sudden cardiac death. This is believed to be one of the most important cardiovascular benefits of eating fish. Investigators at the University of Athens wished to find out whether fish consumption was related to the electrical properties in the heart in middle-aged people living in Greece. They enrolled just over 3,000 inhabitants of the province of Attica, most of whom lived in Athens, who had no history of heart disease and were between the ages of 25 and 67. On average, participants were 50 years old.

Participants had their diets evaluated and their electrocardiograms taken. Ninety percent of the participants consumed fish at least once/week, mainly small fish, such as sardines. The investigators then evaluated the volunteers? electrocardiograms according to the amount of fish the participants ate.

The researchers homed in on the corrected QT interval?an estimate of the ventricular (lower chamber of the heart) action potential, because people with a prolonged QT interval are at higher risk of sudden death.

The investigators observed a trend for decreasing QT interval with increasing fish intake in both men and women. When the analysis took into account several potential confounding factors (e.g., age, sex, smoking, physical activity, etc.) the QT interval remained inversely related to fish intake. In men and women consuming more than 300 g (nearly 11 ounces) of fish per week, the highest category of intake, the QT interval was 14% lower compared with participants who ate no fish.

These observations confirm other studies where higher fish consumption has been associated with a lower chance of a prolonged QT wave and other desirable electrical properties of the heart, such as lower heart rate. However, not all studies agree. It is hoped that a study currently underway among survivors of a heart attack will solve some of the puzzles in the conflicting reports.

Source: Heart Health

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