New
findings from an in vitro study, led by researchers at Brigham and Women's
Hospital (BWH), show that the combination of statins and eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid, may potentially reduce cardiovascular risk. This
research was presented May 1 at a peer-reviewed poster session at the National
Lipid Association Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Florida.
"We know that endothelial
cell dysfunction is emerging as an early and important predictor of
cardiovascular disease and plays an essential role in plaque development.
Treatments that provide beneficial effects on endothelial function could have
very important implications for a patient population at high risk for heart
disease," said R. Preston Mason, PhD, of BWH's Department of Medicine and
lead author of the study. "We found that a combination of statins and EPA
omega-3 fatty acid, or fish oil, had beneficial effects on endothelial cells
and function."
Using
human tissue, researchers analyzed whether EPA could enhance the benefits of
statins on endothelial cells. Blood vessels from human umbilical vein cells
were collected from healthy donors and then subjected to disease-like
conditions in the laboratory using oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDL).
Using nanotechnology approaches, researchers measured the release of molecules
from the endothelial cells including nitric oxide, an essential regulator of
blood vessel health. The researchers found that the combination of EPA and a
statin was more than 50 percent better than the statin alone in reversing
endothelial damage.
Researchers
conclude that there is a potent and favorable interaction between the omega-3
fatty acid, EPA, and widely used statins, and suggest that a therapeutic
strategy with this combination may be beneficial patients with increased risk
for CV disease.
These
new results may also underscore the importance of coupling high-quality statin
therapies with an omega-3 agent such as EPA in potentially reducing
cardiovascular risk, in addition to treating elevated triglycerides. High
circulating triglyceride levels are considered a risk factor associated with cardiovascular
disease, along with HDL, LDL cholesterol and blood pressure. New strategies to
help patients manage this aspect of cardiovascular risk show promise in the
overall prevention and treatment of heart disease.
The
researchers note that future research is needed, particularly in humans,
including cardiovascular outcomes data in randomized clinical trials.
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