Alcohol intake is positively associated with HDL cholesterol in male patients In male patients who have had a heart attack, total alcohol intake was positively associated with HDL cholesterol. An intake of at least 15 g/day alcohol was associated with a significantly greater HDL cholesterol level of on average 0.060 mmol/L. Female patients with an intake of at [...]
Physical inactivity is cross-sectionally but not prospectively associated with depressive symptoms Physical inactivity and poor mental health are associated with bad prognosis in patients with cardiovascular diseases. In a subsample of 600 patients in the Alpha Omega Trial we collected information about physical activity, depressive symptoms and optimism with validated questionnaires. Physical inactivity was cross-sectionally associated [...]
The intake of omega-3 fatty acids is related to optimism but not to depressieve symptoms A higher intake of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA was associated with optimism in older patients (aged 60-80 years) who have had a heart attack. However, a higher intake of EPA and DHA was not associated with less depressive symptoms. A [...]
Trends in medication and risk factor management improved Between 2002 and 2006 cardiovascular drug treatment improved and at the end of the inclusion period the percentage of patients treated for the major risk factors was 90% or higher. In that period the percentage of smokers decreased from 23 to 16%, elevated cholesterol levels from 54 to 27% and elevated blood [...]
Risk factors and medication in patients after heart attack The Alpha Omega Trial included 1,014 patients who have had a heart attack and also had diabetes and 3,823 patients without diabetes. Diabetic patients had a different risk factor profile than those without diabetes. They were more obese, had higher blood pressure, higher triglyceride and lower HDL cholesterol levels. Their [...]
Alpha linolenic acid does not affect serum prostate-specific antigen We tested the hypothesis that alpha linolenic acid (ALA) increases the serum concentration of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a biomarker of prostate cancer. For this substudy of the Alpha Omega Trial we included 1,622 patients with a PSA concentration <4 ng/mL in which blood was collected at [...]
Omega-3 fatty acids do not affect testosterone levels We tested the hypothesis that low-dose supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids reduces serum total testosterone levels. For the present substudy of the Alpha Omega Trial we included 1,850 male patients aged 60-80 who had blood samples available at baseline and after 40 months of follow-up. Additonal amounts [...]
Omega-3 fatty acids do not affect C-reactive protein A supplementary study in the Alpha Omega Trial tested the hypothesis that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation has anti-inflammatory effects and will reduce the level of C-reactive protein. In this study 2425 patients were enrolled in which C-reactive protein was measured at baseline and after 40 months of follow-up. The results [...]
Omega-3 fatty acids do not affect depressive symptoms and optimism A substudy of the Alpha Omega Trial tested the hypothesis that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation will improve depressive symptoms and optimism. The three treatment groups that received either 400 mg/day EPA-DHA, and/or 2 g/day ALA and the placebo group of in total 4116 patients did not differ [...]
Omega-3 fatty acids do not affect cognitive function In the Alpha Omega Trial we tested the hypothesis that omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of cognitive decline. In this substudy, patients who have had a heart attack were followed for 40 months. The overall cognitive function score decreased by 0.67 points during follow-up but the changes in the score [...]