British group drops advice to eat oily fish after heart attack

An independent body in Britain that develops guidance on high-quality healthcare says it no longer recommends eating oily fish to prevent a second heart attack. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence said it also is dropping its recommendation of taking omega-3 fatty acid capsules or omega-3 fatty acid supplemented foods specifically for the prevention of further heart attacks. "New evidence shows that the risk of further cardiovascular events such as heart attacks or strokes is very different today because of the new treatments that are now available," a statement said. "This means that any impact an oily fish diet may have on preventing further heart attacks or strokes could be minimal." However, the draft guideline does continue to recommend people who have had a heart attack eat a Mediterranean-style diet -- more bread, fruit, vegetables and fish; less meat; and replace butter and cheese with products based on plant oils.