After the symposium "Beyond Cholesterol: Prevention and Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease with n-3 Fatty Acids," faculty who presented at the conference submitted manuscripts relating to their conference topics, and these are presented in this supplement. The content of these manuscripts was reviewed, and 2 conference calls were convened. The objective was to summarize existing evidence, gaps in evidence, and future research needed to strengthen recommendations for specific intakes of n-3 fatty acids for different conditions relating to cardiovascular disease.

The following 2 questions were the main items discussed.

What are the roles of n-3 fatty acids in primary versus secondary prevention of coronary heart disease?

What are the roles of n-3 fatty acids in hypertriglyceridemia, in the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, and in sudden cardiac death, cardiac arrhythmias, and vulnerable plaque?

Each area was summarized by using 2 general categories: 1) current knowledge for which general consensus exists, and 2) recommendations for research and policy.

Additional references for these conclusions can be found in the articles included in the supplement.

PMID: 18541603

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