Studies of the behaviour of the omega-3-fatty acids in coronary sclerosis

Abstract

Total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDLG), LDL-cholesterol (LDLC), triglycerides (TG) and the spectrum of fatty acids were determined in the sera of 63 male patients examined by coronarangiography. Based on the coronarangiographic findings the patients were divided into three groups: group I: patients without coronary heart disease (CHD); group II: patients with light to medium CHD; group Ill: patients with severe CHD. In group III HDLC was significantly reduced compared to that in group I. In group II the TG were significantly increased compared to that in group I. The quotients LDLC/HDLC, TC — HDLC/HDLC and TC/HDLC were significantly raised in groups II and III compared to those in group I. The eicosapentaenoic acid was significantly lower in group II compared to that in group I. The linolenoic acid was significantly lower in group III compared to that in group II.

The results presented indicate the importance of the cholesterol quotients as predictors of CHD risk. The omega-3-fatty acids and prostacyclin precursors are reduced in CHD. Their alimentary addition should be taken into consideration.

Zusammenfassung

Die kardiovaskuläre Risikorelevanz der Hyper- und Dyslipoproteinämien ist durch zahlreiche experimentelle, klinische und epidemiologische Studien belegt, und über das Verhalten der Serumlipide und -lipoproteine bei koronarer Herzkrankheit (KHK) liegen zahlreiche Mitteilungen in der Literatur vor.