HEART HEALTH: Heart Attack Survivors Hook Up with Fish Oil

According to the October 3, 2006 edition of The New York Times our government is preventing heart attach survivors from getting certain kinds of follow-up care that may be critical to their survival.

The story tells how doctors in Italy routinely prescribe fish oil to heart attack survivors. They believe it’s effectiveness has been proved to the point that they would consider it malpractice to omit it from a patient’s recovery.

Here in the US, don’t expect to get a prescription for fish oil from your cardiologist. You can’t buy Omacor, the only prescription fish oil for use in heart patients. The FDA prohibits its sale.

This means doctors throughout the country have their hands tied and heart attack survivors may be suffering or worse dying, as a result.

Many doctors are not even aware that fish oil is critical for heart patients. And even if they were, they don’t have the option of giving you a prescription for the one thing that might save your life. What’s more, even if your doctor did tell you about fish oil, your insurance wouldn’t pay for it.

Instead, American cardiologists recommend drugs and other high-profit items – everything from statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) to implantable defibrillators.

According to the article, should you try to obtain Omacor, the rules are so stringent; the first page of Omacor’s website asks you a question: “Are you an US citizen?” If you click “yes,” you’re taken to a page that does not mention anything about heart disease or heart attacks.... even though fish oil is also essential for the prevention of heart attacks and heart disease.

Fish oil contains good doses of the omega-3 family of fats including linolenic, eicosapentaenoic (EPA), and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids.

Omega-3s play a central role in protecting your cardiovascular system. A recent issue of Circulation reported how the heart uses omega-3s as protection.

Researchers found that the cell membranes of heart cells store omega-3 from fish oil. This storage prevents irregular rhythms, which can lead to sudden cardiac death. (Sudden cardiac death is responsible for 50% of heart-related deaths in the United Sates.)

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported a study showing that fish oil lowers triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are fats in your blood linked to heart disease. The participants took a fish oil supplement or a placebo. Those taking the fish oil had a decrease in triglycerides that reduced their chance of heart disease by 25%. The subjects taking the placebo showed no significant reduction.

The New York Times article refers to a now landmark study conducted by Italian researchers. After giving just one gram of fish oil to heart attack survivors every day, they reduced the number of deaths by 20% and the number of sudden deaths by 40%.

With all this evidence, the FDA still refuses to make fish oil available to you by prescription. Of course, you can still get fish oil and take it yourself.

Heat Attack Survivors listen up... it's time to Hook Up with Fish Oil and get on a heart healthy diet.

Great tasting raw food products are available for you at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

While you're there check out the News & Events page. You'll be amazed at what you see & hear on our news videos.

Hook up with a healthy heart today.