Pour It On: Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Could Reduce AF Risk
Joanne Foody, MD
Post-hoc PREDIMED study findings suggest antiarrhythmic as well as anti-ischemic benefits of a Mediterranean diet with an extra helping of EVOO.
Some studies suggest that improved dietary habits or nutritional supplements have a role in reducing the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF). To find out more, investigators conducted a secondary analysis of data from the PREDIMED trial (NEJM JW Gen Med Mar 12 2013), in which individuals without prevalent cardiovascular disease at baseline were randomly assigned to one of three diets: Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts, or advice to follow a low-fat diet (control group). Incident AF, although not a primary endpoint, was adjudicated during follow-up by an events committee blinded to the intervention group. The present study involved 6705 participants without AF at randomization.
During a median follow-up of 4.7 years, 72 patients in the EVOO group developed AF, compared with 92 in the mixed-nuts group and 89 in the control group. Relative to the control diet, the Mediterranean diet with EVOO significantly reduced the risk for AF (hazard ratio, 0.62; 95% confidence interval, 0.45–0.85). The Mediterranean diet with nuts had no significant effect on AF risk (HR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.65–1.20).
Citation(s):
Martínez-González MÁ et al. Extra-virgin olive oil consumption reduces risk of atrial
