FISH CONSUMPTION, N-3 FATTY-ACIDS IN CELL-MEMBRANES, AND HEART-RATE-VARIABILITY IN SURVIVORS OF MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION WITH LEFT-VENTRICULARDYSFUNCTION

To elucidate a possible antiarrhythmic effect of long-chained n-3 poly unsaturated fatty acids, heart rate variability was assessed in 52 pat ients with a previous myocardial infarction and left ventricular dysfu nction. The content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in platelets wa s closely associated with the patient's fish-consuming habits, and a s ignificant positive correlation was observed between the n-3 fatty aci d docosahexaenoic acid and heart rate variability.