Abstract
The connection between both quantity and quality of ingested fat on one hand and human health, on other hand has been recognized many years ago. A number of clinical and experimental studies has been realized to find the significance of individual fatty acid classes in human health and disease.
During the 1970s Danish researchers Bang and Dyerberg have observed low levels of plasma triglycerides jointly with very low incidence of ischemic heart disease and the complete absence of diabetes mellitus in Greenlandic Eskimos in comparison ith Danish controls, though Eskimos consumed in their diet an excessive amounts of both animal protein and fat and little of the fruits and vegetables. The researchers have found that Eskimos had in their lipid classes much higher content of omega-3 fatty acids originated from fish and other seafood.
These findings led to the efforts in understanding of mechanisms involved in favourable influence of omega-3 fatty acids on the cardiovascular risk. Though a number of clinical studies were carried out both in the primary and secondary prevention, the complete consensus about significance of omega-3 supplements use still is not reached.
Recently published results of studies REDUCE-IT and EVAPORATE could contribute to shed light on solving his problem. Pleiotropic cardioprotective mechanisms of omega-3 fatty acids functioning are discussed in the work.