The article reports on a study of people taking fish oil.
The study seems well-done and well-reported.
The usual caveats apply;
for example,
there is no mention of randomisation as is common
in journalistic reports, so who knows what happens with that.
Information:
11,500 heart attack victims from Italy in the study
Four groups:
a control (taking dummy pills);
one group taking one gram of fish oil per day;
one group taking Vitamin E;
one group taking fishoil and Vitamin E
The mortality rates in the four groups (respectively):
10% (280 deaths);
8%;
9.7%;
8%.
All patients were following directions to eat a health diet
(plenty of fruit and vegetables; cutting fat)
and exercise;
and encouraged to eat fish in place of red meat twice a week.
Source:
Using fish oil helps after a heart attack: US study.
The Downs Star,
Thursday March 18, 1999