Related Experiment Videos
[Influence of postprandial hypertriglyceridemia on the endothelial function in elderly patients with coronary heart
Ling Liu1, Shui-ping Zhao, Mei Gao
1Department of Cardiology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
Insights
Elderly patients with coronary artery disease experience worsened endothelial function after a high-fat meal. Disordered triglyceride metabolism post-meal contributes to this endothelial dysfunction and may promote atherosclerosis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Metabolic Research
- Vascular Biology
Context:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of mortality in the elderly.
- Endothelial dysfunction is an early marker of atherosclerosis.
- Postprandial lipid metabolism is increasingly recognized as a factor in cardiovascular health.
Purpose:
- To investigate the impact of a high-fat meal on carotid atherosclerosis and endothelial function in elderly CAD patients.
- To compare these effects between elderly CAD patients and healthy elderly controls.
- To explore the relationship between postprandial lipid changes and vascular parameters.
Summary:
- Elderly CAD patients exhibited higher carotid intima-media thickness (IMTc) and impaired brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) compared to healthy controls.
- A high-fat meal led to a significant decrease in FMD in both groups, more pronounced in CAD patients.
- Postprandial triglyceride peak response (TGPR) was elevated in CAD patients and correlated with IMTc and FMD impairment.
Impact:
- The findings suggest that disordered postprandial metabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins contributes to endothelial dysfunction in elderly CAD patients.
- This highlights a potential atherogenic mechanism linked to dietary fat intake in this vulnerable population.
- Understanding these postprandial effects can inform strategies for managing cardiovascular risk in elderly individuals with CAD.
Objective:
To explore the changes of carotid atherosclerosis and the endothelial function after a high-fat meal in elderly patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).
Methods:
The carotid intima-media thickness (IMTc) and the brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) before and after a high-fat meal were measured by the high-resolution ultrasound technique in 20 elderly patients with CAD and 22 healthy elderly subjects.
Results:
The CAD patients had a higher IMTc (P < 0.01) and impaired FMD (P < 0.05) compared with the healthy subjects. The serum triglyceride level increased in the two groups after the meal. The CAD patients had a higher triglyceride peak response (TGPR) than the healthy subjects (P < 0.05). The IMTc of the two groups had no change before and after the meal. The postprandial FMD significantly aggravated in the two groups (P < 0.001); and the percent decrement of FMD in the CAD patients was obviously higher than that in the healthy subjects (P < 0.05). The postprandial TGPR was positively correlated with the fasting IMTc and the postprandial percent decrement of FMD (P < 0.01).
Conclusion:
The disordered postprandial metabolism of triglyceride-riched lipoproteins may play an atherogenic role by inducing endothelial dysfunction.