Farmacología cardiovascular: acceso abierto

Abstracto

Relation of Cholesterol Level to Dietary Fat Intake in Patients of Ischemic Heart Disease

Hamid Mahmood, Abdul Rehman Abid, Rehan Riaz and Nadeem Hayat Mallick

Objective: To study the association of cholesterol level and dietary habits in patients of ischemic heart disease admitted with acute coronary syndromes. Materials and Methods: A total of 404 patients of ischemic heart disease admitted at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Lahore were included in the study. Patients were divided into four groups. Group I: 176(45.5%) patients with normal cholesterol levels and low fat diet. Group II: 76(18.2%) patients with normal cholesterol levels on high fat diet. Group III: 113(27.9%) patients with high cholesterol levels on low fat diet. Group IV: 39(9.6%) patients with high cholesterol levels on high fat diet.

Results: Mean age of the study population was 55.6 ± 12.3 years. Mean age was similar in all the groups (p< 0.127). Overall 308(76.2%) patients were males and 96(23.8%) were females. Mean caloric intake of the study patients was 2570.5 ± 936.7. Caloric intake was highest in Group I followed by Group III. Group II and IV had lower caloric intake than groups I and III (p< 0.0001). Similarly percent fat was also lower in Group I and III as compared to Groups II and IV (p<0.008). Mean cholesterol level of the study population was 154.5 ± 42.6 mg/dl. Mean cholesterol level was highest in Group III, 195.9 ± 38.8 mg/dl (despite on low fat diet) followed by Group IV, 193.6 ± 39.5 (on high fat diet). Mean cholesterol was similar in Group I, 130.3 ± 19.6 and Group II, 129.1 ± 20.4 (p< 0.0001) irrespective of dietary intake of fat. Low HDL in Group I and II patients even having normal cholesterol level lead to acute myocardial infarction.

Conclusion: Dietary intake of fat has no influence on cholesterol levels. Low HDL is an important risk factor leading to acute myocardial infarction and is not influenced by fat intake in diet.