Use of Fish Oils to Reduce Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation Following DC Cardioversion

Melbourne Health

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 4

Conditions: Atrial Fibrillation

Treatments: Drug: Fish oil

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00232219

2003.188

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether fish oil supplements may be beneficial in preventing the recurrence of atrial fibrillation after cardioversion.

Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition which can sometimes be successfully treated by a cardioversion.

Cardioversion involves resetting the heart back to normal with the use of electric current.

There is a tendency for the atrial fibrillation to recur , days weeks or even months after the cardioversion.

Fish oil supplements may be of benefit to patients with heart problems Recent evidence suggests that fish oils may be beneficial to patients with rhythm disturbances.

Enrollment: 200 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with persistent Atrial Fibrillation on Warfarin.

Exclusion criteria

• paroxysmal atrial fibrillation with self terminating episodes.
• left atrial size>6.0cm
• myocardial infarction in the previous 6 months.
• contraindications to amiodarone use .
• cardiac surgery in the previous 3 months .
• an acute reversible illness contributing to the development of af
• a QTc interval > 480ms.
• pregnancy

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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200 participants in 2 patient groups

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

No fish oil exposure

Fish oil

Experimental group

Description:

Patients given 6g/day of fish oil containing 1.8g/d of EPA+DHA in a 1.5:1 ratio.

Treatment:

Drug: Fish oil