n-3 Fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: the story is not over yet

A large body of evidences suggest a beneficial role of n-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) on cardiovascular disease, but recent observations and meta-analyses have raised doubts on their real efficacy. Many of these analyses, however, should be interpreted with caution, because of methodological shortcomings, heterogeneity of population, variability of drug dose and composition and other interpretation issues, and are not able to convincingly confute the results of the major clinical trials. Indeed, they demonstrated the efficacy of n-3 PUFAs at least in particular subset of individuals, such as post-acute myocardial infarction patients, at high risk of ventricular arrhythmias. The utilization of n-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids in the current clinical practice should not be withheld, yet.