Fish oil (medical use)

Fish oil, sold under the brand name Omegaven, is a fatty acid emulsion.^[2] It is used for total parenteral nutrition (feeding directly into a venous catheter), e.g. in short bowel syndrome.^[2] It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.^[2]

Fish oil

Clinical data
Trade names	Omegaven
Other names	Fish oil triglycerides
AHFS/Drugs.com	Professional Drug Facts
License data	US DailyMed: Omegaven
Pregnancy category	AU: B3[1]
Dependence liability	Intravenous
Drug class	Intravenous nutritional products
ATC code	None
Legal status
Legal status	US: ℞-only[2]

Fish oil triglycerides was approved for use in the United States in July 2018,^[3] and is available to people on the US market by prescription effective November 2018.^[4]

In 2021, it was the 283rd most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 700,000 prescriptions.^[5][6]

Research

It has gained popularity in children in preference to the more commonly used intralipid after case reports that it reduced the risk of liver damage.^[7]

A 2007, study indicated that the use of Omegaven may be an appropriate intervention strategy for newborns with a very low birth weight, gastroschisis, and intestinal atresia.^[8]

A clinical trial exploring the use of fish oil as an adjunct to parenteral nutrition in surgical intensive care units at National Taiwan University Hospital completed in March 2007.^[9]

Although the use of fish oil triglycerides in children in the United States is experimental, the use of it in adults in Europe is less controversial.^[10] In European studies, fish oil triglycerides have been associated with a reduction in psoriasis, when contrasted to administration of omega-6 fatty acid Lipoven.^[11] Fish oil triglycerides have also been associated with reduced mortality and antibiotic use during hospital stays.^[12]