Omega-3 fatty acids for the treatment of elevated triglycerides

Several national and international health organizations have current recommendations for increasing dietary and supplemental intakes of omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease and for management of hypertriglyceridemia. Clinical trials of prescription omega-3 fatty acids as monotherapy or as an adjunct to statin therapy have supported its efficacy for improving the lipid profile (reducing triglycerides and triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and raising HDL-C) in individuals with hypertriglyceridemia or mixed dyslipidemia. Hypertriglyceridemia is common in developed countries and recent estimates indicate a 33% prevalence of fasting triglycerides greater than 1.7 mmol/l (150 mg/dl) in the USA. In this review, we summarize the results from clinical trials regarding the use of omega-3 fatty acids for reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and for the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia.