Should Fish Supplant Defibrillators?

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish (e.g. salmon, lake trout, tuna and herring) have a protective effect against sudden cardiac death. Minnesota researchers thought it would be interesting to see how this compared with the protection offered by having a defibrillator available – either an automated external defibrillator, or an implanted defibrillator. Their results are published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The method used to make this comparison was ‘virtual’, in other words, an elaborate simulation of events, treatments, and outcomes in a hypothetical population resembling that of Olmsted County, Minnesota, using published probabilities of effectiveness. The potential impacts tested were those following (1) raising blood omega-3 levels, (2) distributing automated external defibrillators, or (3) implanting cardioverter defibrillators in appropriate candidate patients.

Raising omega-3 levels would be expected to lower total mortality by 6.4%; distributing external and implanted defibrillators would lower mortality by 0.8% and 3.3%, respectively. The results are clear-cut in favor of raising omega-3 fatty acid levels.

Of course, this sort of approach is not likely to result in major changes of health policy. It will require more direct comparisons of these findings (if such a study could ever be designed). However, for most of us, the answer is obvious. We should make an effort to increase our omega-3 levels, either by eating more fatty fish, or by taking a suitable supplement. Or both.