Dialysis Patients Cut Heart Attack Risk by 43% With Daily Fish Oil, Berlin Study Reveals
Published on 07/01/2026 at 23:35 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
A large clinical trial from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin has found that dialysis patients who took 1.5 grams of fish oil every day for 18 months reduced their risk of heart attacks and strokes by 43%. Published Wednesday in the Journal of Nephrology, the study followed 1,200 patients and earned a “high quality” rating from the European Medicines Agency. The German Society for Nephrology is now calling for a follow-up trial with 5,000 participants to confirm the results.
At the same time, researchers at the University of Duisburg-Essen and Düsseldorf University Hospital have developed a new screening method that spots early vascular damage in a completely different way. Called NIRS-CO?, the technique uses a water bath warmed to 32°C with a CO? concentration of 4.2 grams per liter. That stimulus triggers blood vessels to dilate, and near-infrared spectroscopy tracks how quickly they respond. Healthy vessels react immediately; damaged ones show a delay measured as the “Time to Intersection” (TTI). According to Cardiovascular Research, the method outperforms conventional measurements. Prolonged reaction times were especially common among patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, or a history of smoking.
Compression Remains a Cornerstone
Despite these advances in diagnostics, compression therapy is still the backbone of venous care. Medical compression stockings come in four classes, ranging from Class 1 for mild complaints to Class 4 for chronic venous insufficiency. Contraindications include severe arterial circulatory disorders and acute skin infections.
Minimally invasive procedures are also gaining ground. At a vascular center in Rostock, more than 5,000 truncal varicose veins have been treated since 2015 using a medical adhesive called VenaSeal. Microfoam sclerotherapy, delivered through specialized applicators for smaller vessel sections, has become an established alternative.
Digital Portal Makes Prevention Courses Easier to Book
Since late June, a new online portal – praevention-direkt-finden.de – has given physicians and therapists access to over 120,000 certified prevention courses. The offerings cover exercise, nutrition, stress management, and addiction prevention. All courses are reviewed by the Central Testing Office for Prevention and subsidized by statutory health insurers. Doctors can filter results by location to find programs near their patients’ homes.
Fee Hike and Budget Fears Shake Sector Productivity
On July 1, an update to the fee schedule for doctors in statutory accident insurance (UV-GOÄ) took effect. Fees rose by 6 percent across the board, with arthroscopies excluded. Billing is based on the date the service was provided.
Yet the mood in the industry is tense. The German Diagnostic Industry Association (VDGH) has warned that planned budget caps for preventive services under the GKV Contribution Rate Stabilization Act could hit screenings such as colorectal cancer checks and prenatal care. The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Dentists also reports a drop in new periodontitis treatments as a direct result of budget restrictions.
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