Oily Fish Consumption Can Lower CVD Risk in Individuals With Family History

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 3, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- There is a significant interaction between biomarkers of low eicosapentaenoic/docosahexaenoic acids (EPA/DHA) intake and a family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in relation to long-term CVD risk, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in Circulation.

Federica Laguzzi, Ph.D., from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, and colleagues assessed interactions between biomarkers of low polyunsaturated fatty acids intake (PUFA levels ≤25th percentile) and family history (having at least one first-degree relative who experienced a CVD event) in relation to long-term CVD risk in a cohort of 40,885 CVD-free adults.

The researchers observed a significant interaction between low EPA/DHA and family history after multivariable adjustment (product term pooled relative risk, 1.09; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.02 to 1.16; P = 0.01). The pooled relative risk (95 percent confidence interval) of CVD was 1.41 (1.30 to 1.54) for combined exposure to low EPA/DHA and family history, while it was 1.25 (1.16 to 1.33) and 1.06 (0.98 to 1.14) for family history alone and EPA/DHA alone, respectively, compared with neither exposure.

"Low blood/tissue levels of n-3 EPA/DHA, reflecting a low intake of fats present in oily fish, may potentiate the risk of CVD in those already at increased risk because of family history," the authors write. "Although these results should be interpreted with caution, it seems reasonable to conclude that our results support the current cardiovascular prevention guidelines regarding the consumption of foods rich in n-3 EPA/DHA (i.e., oily fish), especially for people with a family history of CVD."

One author disclosed ties to Pharmavite.

Abstract/Full Text