Polyunsaturated fatty acids in reducing cardiovascular risk

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of these diseases are one of the major challenges in modern medicine. Despite a large number of pharmacological agents significantly reducing the cardiovascular risk, it is still high in many patients. Due to the multifactorial aetiology and complex pathomechanism of cardiovascular diseases, the development of a more effective therapy remains an open issue. It was found in the 1980s that a diet rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in particular, was associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases. For this reason, polyunsaturated fatty acids have become the subject of many clinical trials aimed at understanding their mechanism of action and determining their exact impact on cardiovascular risk. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are known to affect many aspects that are key factors in the development of cardiovascular disease. They are characterised mainly by a positive effect on the structure and functioning of cell membranes, the ability to reduce inflammation and blood pressure, anticoagulant and antiplatelet effects, antiarrhythmic activity, the ability to improve myocardial contractility and a beneficial effect on the lipid profile. The latest analyses of the available clinical trials show that these compounds reduce cardiovascular risk in both primary and secondary prevention. Therefore, they represent a promising therapeutic option. It is worth noting that the effect seems to depend on the type of polyunsaturated fatty acids, their dose and individual factors. Nevertheless, this issue is extremely complex and requires further research to fully understand the mechanism of action and establish ideal therapeutic doses to improve patient prognosis.