Oily fish off the menu for preventing more heart attacks - Boots WebMD

14th June 2013 - People who have had a heart attack may no longer be advised to eat oily fish to help prevent them having another attack.

The change is being made in updated draft guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for the hundreds of thousands of adults in England and Wales who have survived a heart attack.

The guidelines were originally written in 2007, but NICE says recent improvements in care and treatment for people who have had heart attacks means that eating oily fish, or taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements, may only have a minimal effect in preventing further attacks or strokes.

Mediterranean diet

Patients would, however, be encouraged to eat a Mediterranean-style diet, including more bread, fruit, vegetables and fish. They should cut down on meat, and replace butter and cheese with products based on plant oils.

The new guidelines, which have been published for consultation, include changes in the treatments given immediately after a heart attack since the original guideline was published, particularly the use of stents rather than drugs as a means of widening blocked or narrowed coronary arteries.

The number of people having heart attacks and strokes has fallen over the past 30 years. Currently, around 103,000 people in the UK have heart attacks each year.

Professor Mark Baker, director of the Centre for Clinical Practice at NICE, says in a statement: "Despite the improvements in the number of people surviving a heart attack, heart disease remains the UK?s biggest killer, causing more than 80,000 deaths each year. It also causes on-going health problems for many thousands of others. People who have had a heart attack have a greatly increased risk of another.

"This updated draft guideline takes on board the latest evidence on the best ways to prevent further heart attacks or strokes in people who have already suffered a heart attack. Its aim is to provide the growing number of people who now survive a heart attack with the good quality, systematic care that is essential to improving long term outcomes and quality of life."

Rehabilitation

Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, says in a statement: "It's been six years since the last heart attack guidelines were published and treatment of heart attacks has changed substantially.

"Stents are now the preferred treatment option and all patients should be offered cardiac rehabilitation afterwards. It?s great news that NICE has recognised this and is updating the guidance in the light of new evidence.

"It?s one thing to save a life; it?s another thing giving patients a life worth saving. Only 44% of eligible patients currently receive cardiac rehabilitation, despite the evidence demonstrating it can reduce premature death.

"Interestingly, oily fish is no longer on the menu for those who have had a heart attack, but the benefits of a Mediterranean diet are helpfully emphasised in the guidance."

Dr Knapton adds: "It remains to be seen how quickly the NHS can implement any new guidelines."

Source: http://www.webmd.boots.com/heart-disease/news/20130614/oily-fish-heart-attacks

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