[Diet for heart patients. A questionnaire study at Danish coronary care units]

A questionnaire survey of Danish hospitals showed that 70% of patients admitted for acute ischaemic heart disease were served the ordinary menu during their stay at the hospital. About 10% had a diabetic menu, while 20% had different kinds of lipid lowering diets. The ordinary menu contained 17 energy percent (E%) protein, 38 E% fat, and 46 E% carbohydrate. The amount of fibre was 3.1 g/MJ, the ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids (P/S) was 0.4, and the total energy in a day's menu was 8.1 MJ. The ordinary high-fat hospital diets differ markedly from diets believed to be cardioprotective, contrast with the dietary counselling given during admission, and should be replaced by lipid lowering diets in most cases of acute ischaemic heart disease for educational and therapeutic reasons.