The effects of dietary flaxseed on cardiac arrhythmias and claudication in patients with peripheral arterial disease

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) are at increased risk for cardiovascular events, and higher susceptibility for cardiac arrhythmias may be involved. The objectives of this double-blinded randomized controlled FLAX-PAD trial were to determine whether daily consumption of a diet supplemented with 30 g of milled flaxseed (or placebo) over 1 year by PAD patients has effects on the prevalence of cardiac arrhythmias and exercise capacity. Cardiac arrhythmias were assessed on a cardiac stress test and at rest. At baseline, the PAD patients had a high incidence of cardiac arrhythmias (48% in the flaxseed group and 32% in the placebo group). After 1 year, the presence of cardiac arrhythmias in the flaxseed group decreased by 2% and increased by 12% in the placebo group (P > 0.05). Electrocardiographic variables (P, PR, QRS, QT, and QTc) did not change in either group during the trial. Patients from both groups improved initial and absolute claudication distances but the intergroup difference was also not statistically significant. In summary, the prevalence of cardiac arrhythmias and physical capacity trended in a positive direction for patients ingesting flaxseed but either a larger sample size or a longer intervention with flaxseed may be required to show statistically significant differences.