EFAs are essential fatty acids, and in the context of heart health benefits, the relevant ones are those found in fish oil known as omega-3 fatty acids. They're called "essential" because the human body must have them to develop and function normally. EFAs are so important to heart health that the American Heart Association recommends people with known heart disease to supplement 1,000 mg a day. However EFAs' role in heart palpitations and chest tightness is not clear, and it isn't necessarily true that heart palpitations and chest tightness are indicative of heart problems.
Chest Tightness
According to MayoClinic.com, chest tightness or pressure is frequently experienced as a result of angina. Angina is one of the most common symptoms of heart disease and occurs when the heart does not get enough blood or oxygen. However, angina also arises in response to exertion or heightened emotions. Other common causes include respiratory diseases, problems with digestion, anxiety disorders and pulled muscles or tendons. Only your doctor can tell you if your chest tightness is associated with a heart condition, and it's important that you seek advice right away if the tightness is chronic.
Heart Palpitations
If you're experiencing test tightness and are subject to panic attacks, there is a high likelihood that your heart palpitations are caused by escalated emotions. According to R. Reid Wilson, a licensed psychologist who directs the Anxiety Disorders Treatment Center in Chapel Hill and Durham, North Carolina, heart palpitations are the most frequently reported panic attack symptom. Because chest tightness can be induced by heightened emotions, heart palpitations and chest pain are common during a panic attack. Only your doctor can tell you if the problem is associated with heart disease.
EFAs for Heart Palpitations
Researchers investigating the role of omega-3s in preventing heart attacks noted a link between EFAs and heart palpitations. The most frequent cause of heart attack death is sudden cardiac death, or SCD. As the name implies, the condition happens quickly and without warning. The most frequent cause of SCD is heart palpitations, and people who supplemented with omega-3s had substantially reduced risk of SCD. Scientists publishing in the August 2006 issue of the "American Journal of Cardiology" reviewed the relevant studies and concluded that EFAs reduced heart palpitations as much as 50 percent in as few as 90 days.
EFAS for Chest Tightness
The impact of EFAs on chest tightness due to angina is a murkier issue. Researchers reporting in the November 2009 edition of the "Annals of Medicine" analyzed data involving 20,997 heart disease patients taking supplemental EFAs. Their aim was to assess the impact of omega-3s on SCD and all-cause cardiac mortality. While they similarly concluded that EFAs prevent heart palpitations and SCD, they reported that the relative risk for cardiac death actually increased in patients with angina. The researchers offered no explanation and cautioned that, while their findings were inconclusive, patients with angina should avoid supplementing.
References
- "Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology"; Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease - New Recommendations From the American Heart Association; Penny Kris-Etherton; February 2003
- MayoClinic.com: Chronic Chest Pain
- Anxieties.com; Panic Attacks; R. Reid Wilson
- "The American Journal of Cardiology"; Antiarrhythmic Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids; James Reiffel and Arline McDonald; August 2006
- "Annals of Medicine"; Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death with Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: a Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials; Yun-Tao Zhao et al.; November 2009
