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Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Differential Effects of Lipid-lowering Drugs in Modulating Morphology of Cholesterol Particles
Published on: November 10, 2017
The pro- or antiarrhythmic actions of polyunsaturated fatty acids and of cholesterol
1Dept. Exp. Cardiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; IHU Liryc, Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute, Fondation Bordeaux Université, F-33600 Pessac Bordeaux, France.
Abstract:
In this review, the pro- and anti-arrhythmic effects of a diet rich in fish oil fatty acids and of hypercholesterolemia will be discussed in relation to two major mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis (triggered activity and re-entry). Whereas a diet rich in fish oil is pro-arrhythmic in relation to re-entry based arrhythmias (as occur in acute myocardial ischemia) and anti-arrhythmic in relation to triggered activity based arrhythmias (as occur in heart failure), the reverse is true for hypercholesterolemia. Changing the lipid composition of cardiomyocytes likely has powerful pro- or anti-arrhythmic consequences, depending on the mechanism of arrhythmias, and has corresponding therapeutic potential.
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