alpha-Linolenic acid: a preventive in secondary coronary events?

In a 5-year study of survivors of a first myocardial infarction, the effect of an alpha-linolenic acid-enriched diet (experimental) was compared with the prudent diet of the American Heart Association (control) in prevention of secondary coronary events. After a mean follow-up of 27 months, there were 5 nonfatal myocardial infarctions and 3 cardiac deaths in the experimental group versus 17 nonfatal myocardial infarctions and 16 cardiac deaths in the control group. Overall mortality was 20 in the control and 8 in the experimental group. An alpha-linolenic acid-enriched diet appears to be effective in secondary prevention of coronary events, but a follow-up trial with a larger sample size is suggested.