Supraventricular tachycardia, also known as paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, or PSVT, is a condition characterized by occasional bouts of rapid heart rate. The condition occurs when the electric impulse that travels through the heart to initiate a heartbeat does not reach all parts of the heart in a coordinated fashion, resulting in an irregular heart rhythm. In supraventricular tachycardia, the problem occurs above the ventricles -- the main chambers of the heart that pump blood to the lungs and out to the body. A variety of medical and alternative therapies, including omega-3 fatty acids have been used, with varying results, to treat this challenging condition.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids, a group of essential fatty acids that your body requires for proper health, provide a variety of beneficial effects for heart function. Your body cannot manufacture omega-3 fatty acids; therefore, they must be consumed in your diet. The two primary forms of omega-3 fats that your body uses are EPA -- eicosapentaenoic acid -- and DHA -- docosahexaenoic acid. Food sources of omega-3 fats include cold-water fish, such as mackerel, tuna and salmon. Plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseed oil and, to a lesser degree, dark green leafy vegetables.
Protective Effects
Omega-3 fatty acids were included in a list of potential non-drug therapies for the treatment of irregular heart rate in the atria -- the chambers above the ventricles that deliver blood to the ventricles, in a study published in the March 2011 issue of the journal "Europace." Researchers cite compelling evidence from some animal studies that have shown protective effects of omega-3 fatty acids against alterations in the structure of the atria and changes in electrical conduction that underlie atrial fibrillation, a form of supraventricular tachycardia.
Recurrence
A study published in the December 2010 issue of the "Journal of the American Medical Association" found omega-3 oils not helpful at reducing atrial fibrillation. In the 24-week trial, participants took 8 g of omega-3 fatty acids per day and showed a 52 percent rate of recurrent symptoms, compared with 48 percent in a control group that did not receive omega-3 oils. Over a six-month follow-up, the omega-3 group did not experience decreased symptoms of tachycardia.
Defibrillation
An Italian study reported that omega-3 fatty acids were not helpful at preventing recurrence of heart arrhythmia following electrical cardioversion -- a type of induced defibrillation used as a treatment for chronic atrial fibrillation. Participants consumed 3 g of omega-3 fatty acids per day until the application of electrical cardioversion, followed by 2 g per day for six months. Relapse occurred in 59 percent of the omega-3 fatty acid group within an average of 83 days and 51 percent of the control group that did not receive omega-3 fatty acids within in average of 106 days.
References
- National Institutes of Health; Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia (PSVT);
- "Europace"; N-Three Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids for the Prevention of Arrhythmia Recurrence after Electrical Cardioversion of Chronic Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: a Randomized, Double-Blind, Multicenter Study; L. Bianconi, et al.; February 2011
- "Europace"; Upstream Therapies for Management of Atrial Fibrillation: Review of Clinical Evidence and Implications for European Society of Cardiology Guidelines. Part I: Primary Prevention; I.Savelieva, et al.; March 2011
- "JAMA"; Efficacy and Safety of Prescription Omega-3 Fatty Acids for the Prevention of Recurrent Symptomatic Atrial Fibrillation: a Randomized Controlled Trial. P.R. Kowey, et al.; December 2010
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