The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

  • Recent Posts

  • Recent Comments

    Effect of prescription omega-3 on triglycerides and coronary heart disease

    Two old acquaintances, Drs. James McKenney and Domenic Sica from Virginia Commonwealth University, have reviewed the evidence. Here’s a summary.

    Prescription capsules of omega-3 fatty acids are made from the fish oil extracted from fish carcasses. It’s then put through a purification process that refines, esterifies, purifies, and concentrates the ethyl esters of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

    What’s in a capsule?

    • A 1-gram capsule contains 840 mg of EPA and DHA.
    • The remaining 160 mg contains other omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, and monounsaturated acids.

    Response to treatment.

    • A 4-gram daily dose in patients with very high triglyceride blood levels (at least 500 mg/dL) lowers triglyceride blood levels by about 45%.
    • Very-low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol declines by more than 50%.
    • Changes in high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol are usually modest.

    It’s an example of a former CAM now considered an important part of mainstream medicine.

    4/1/07 18:38 JR

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