HIGHER PLASMA OMEGA 3 FATTY ACID LEVELS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCED RISK FOR BLEEDING AFTER CARDIAC SURGERY
Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Volume 71, Issue 11 Supplement, March 2018, DOI: 10.1016/S0735-1097(18)32326-X
Prince Sethi, Emmanuel Akintoye, Paul Thompson, Dariush Mozaffarian and William Harris
March 10, 2018, 10:00 a.m.-10:45 a.m.
Session Title: The Latest on Dyslipidemia Care in the Age of Precision Medicine
Abstract Category: 32. Prevention: Clinical, Presentation Number: 1129-433
| Omega-3 Index | Odds ratio of post op bleeding | |
| 3.6 % | 1.0 | |
| 4.8 % | .58 | placebo |
| 6.0 % | .3 | 2-3 days of Omega-3 actually 6.4% |
| 8.0 % | .36 |
The conventional view, stopping Omega-3 before surgery to reduce bleeding, appears to be wrong. Should increase Omega-3 before surgery
See also Vitamin D Life
- 2.7 fewer days in hospital after surgery if had taken Omega-3 (19 RCT) – meta-analysis – June 2017
- Omega-3 reduced time in hospital and atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery – meta-analysis May 2016
- Sepsis: 4 fewer days in ICU if add Omega-3 – meta-analysis of 12 RCT – June 2017
- Ischaemic Stroke has less impact in animals supplemented with Omega-3 – Jan 2018
- Omega-3 supplements taken before and after surgery actually helped – RCT Nov 2018
- Higher Omega-3 index (4 to 8 percent) associated with 30 percent less risk of coronary disease (10 studies) July 2017
If Omega-3 had been added years before the Cardiac Surgery might not have been needed - For every Omega-3 dollar there is a 84 dollar savings in Cardiovascular costs - Foster and Sullivan April 2016
- Omega-3 – most humans and horses can start with loading doses – saving 1 to 3 months
Download the PDF abstract from Vitamin D Life
Background
Omega 3 fatty acids (n-3 FAs) are used for cardiovascular disease prevention. There have been theoretical concerns about n-3 FAs increasing the risk for bleeding, especially during surgery. The OPERA trial was a multi-center, double-blind, randomized trial that tested the effects of n-3 FA supplementation for 2-3 days pre-surgery on post-operative atrial fibrillation. In secondary analyses, the effects of n-3 FA supplementation on bleeding outcomes were evaluated
Methods
Of 1516 patients scheduled for cardiac surgery, data on n-3 FA levels on the morning of surgery was available for 552 patients-280 received n-3FAs and 272 received placebo. We investigated association between circulating plasma n-3 FA levels and 1) risk of postoperative bleeding, and 2) the number of units of blood transfused
Results
The sum of three long-chain n-3 FAs[docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)] in plasma phospholipids was 4.8% in placebo group and 6.4% in intervention group(p <0.0001). The table shows the risk for postoperative bleeding as a function of plasma n-3FA level quartiles. The number of blood units needed during surgery was analyzed on a continuous basis in a model adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and 4 bleeding-related drugs use. For 1-SD increase in the n-3 FA level, OR (95% CI) was 0.91 (0.88-0.95; p = 0.014)
Conclusion: Higher n-3FA levels were associated with a reduced risk of postoperative bleeding and need for blood transfusion in cardiac surgery