Ácidos graxos das séries ômega-3 e ômega-6 e sua utilização no tratamento de doenças cardiovasculares: uma revisão.

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and multiple epidemiological studies have linked diet composition to its major risk factors, dietary habits, especially the consumption of fat and cholesterol, have always received attention in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Several interventional studies have shown that the risk for coronary heart disease can be reduced when serum cholesterol levels are controlled by dietary or pharmacological treatment. The omega-3, especially long chain fatty acids found in fish, have proven to be particularly useful in the prevention and treatment of diseases such as dyslipidemias, diabetes and obesity, showing significant cardioprotective effect. But there is considerable controversy concerning the relative importance of polyunsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. As other acidic substances the use must be done carefully, to the appropriate concentration. Because these two kinds of fatty acids are metabolically different and have opposite physiological functions. Therefore, the nutritional balance is important to achieve normal development and homeostasis of the organism. The aim of this review is to investigate the importance of fatty acids in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. A literature review was carried out in a systematic way, using the Medline, Pubmed, Lilacs, SciELO data, national and international health committees and articles published in the last fourteen years, all addressing cardiovascular disease. The following search terms (keywords and delimiters) were used in various combinations: 1) fatty acids, 2) cardiovascular disease, 3) omega-3, 4) omega-6. The literature search included original articles, review articles, editorial guidelines written in English and Portuguese, being selected according to the criteria of the Oxford Centre for Evidence.