Belgian chemical and pharmaceutical company Solvay launched a new drug in Britain to reduce deaths in people who have suffered a heart attack.

Omacor, a gelatin capsule, contains high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for human health and have been shown to lower the risk of developing coronary heart disease and arthritis.

In a study of 11,000 people who had suffered a heart attack, the drug, which is available over-the-counter and on prescription, reduced the risk of death from heart disease by 30 percent and sudden cardiac arrest by 45 percent.

"The benefits appear very early," Professor Gregory Lip, of City Hospital in Birmingham, told a news conference to launch the drug.

Lip said the results of the drug, which is also available in Austria and will be launched in other European countries next year, were comparable to cholesterol-lowering treatments such as statins and ACE inhibitors which make the heart work efficiently.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are needed for normal growth and development but are not produced by the body. They must be obtained in the diet. Fish and fish oil are a rich supply of omega-3 fatty acids.
"Fish consumption in the UK is poor," Lip said.

Omacor is thought to cut the risk of death after a heart attack by reducing blood clots and abnormal heart rhythms.

Coronary heart disease is the most common cause of death in Britain. About half of all people who suffer a heart attack die. Those who survive are more at risk of sudden death or further heart attacks.

Smoking, raised cholesterol levels and high blood pressure are major risk factor for coronary heart disease.