Diet-heart issues in a pharmacological era

Abstract

Reduction of serum cholesterol low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is an important step in secondary and primary prevention of coronary heart disease, and clinical trials have now shown that cholesterol lowering drugs substantially lessen coronary risk within a few years? These findings will undoubtedly increase the popularity of cholesterol lowering by drugs at the expense of dietary modification. However, properly applied dietary changes should be the first step in cholesterol lowering. In this short overview I focus on two elements of a healthy-heart diet--fatty acids and antioxidants. Fatty acids are a major determinant of serum cholesterol and LDL concentrations. Antioxidants may prevent oxidative modification of LDL, which is an important step in the development of atherosclerosis. I also discuss the effectiveness of dietary intervention.