Two main omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, found mainly in fish and fish oil have been recommended for years to reduce cardiovascular events, like heart attack or stroke, in people who already have cardiovascular disease.
A specific omega-3, containing purified EPA, (Vascepa) was used in a study with over 8,000 patients with elevated cardiovascular risk and high blood triglyceride levels. They assigned half of the study participants to receive 2 g of Vascepa twice a day, and assigned the other participants a placebo.
The results showed a significant benefit of Vascepa over the placebo. Vascepa reduced blood triglyceride levels, but more importantly, it reduced the number of heart attacks and strokes, the need for a heart stenting procedure to open clogged arteries, and death.
Link to research paper: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1812792
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