Virgin olive oil financial aid to prevent atrial fibrillation
As reflected in Circulation, the world's No. 1 journal in cardiology, in a article coordinated by the University
PHOTO: University of Navarra
Atrial fibrillation is the leading arrhythmia and will affect one in four people in their lifetime. Currently, there are no effective interventions for the primary prevention of this disease, considered one of the growing cardiovascular epidemics of the 21st century and one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality.
The randomized primary prevention essay PREDIMED (PREvención con per diem expenses MEDIterránea), integrated in the CIBER de Obesidad y Nutrición, demonstrated that a Mediterranean diet per diem expenses supplemented with extra virgin olive oil or nuts reduces the incidence of stroke, myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular mortality in a high-risk population. In this essay the effect of these same diets on the incidence of atrial fibrillation was evaluated. It has just been published in the journal Circulation, issue 1 in Cardiology. The article is coordinated by the University of Navarra.
Thus, during a 4.7-year follow-up average , 246 new incidents of the disease were identified among 6,705 eligible participants. The incidence of this pathology was significantly lower in participants assigned to the Mediterranean per diem expenses supplemented with extra virgin olive oil, compared to the control per diem expenses . In contrast, no effect of the Mediterranean per diem expenses supplemented with nuts was found.
For Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez, Full Professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health of the University of Navarra, "the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects of extra virgin olive oil in the context of a Mediterranean per diem expenses may explain this effect, although more programs of study are needed to replicate these results and explore the underlying mechanisms". "This study is the first randomized essay , -underlines the professor and top manager of the study- that highlights that recommending a Mediterranean per diem expenses rich in extra virgin olive oil may be an appropriate strategy for the primary prevention of atrial fibrillation".