[Diet and atherosclerosis]

Abstract

The relationship between diet and atherosclerosis is due to the diet influence on lipoprotein composition. However, because of the multifactorial basis of the atherosclerosis, diet components have another potential intervention mechanisms in the atherosclerosis process, such as the influence on other cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, obesity, diabetes) or the influence on the coagulation system and the relationship endothelium-platelets. We will review the effect of diet components on these factors, specially its effects on the haemostasia system, which alteration is responsible for provoking ischemic heart disease. We have to consider that the main objective when treating dyslipidaemias, besides of avoiding acute pancreatitis in cases of strong hypertrigliceridaemia, is to prevent arteriosclerosis development and its clinical manifestations such as ischemic heart disease. Besides, we know that genetic, in addition to provoke familial susceptibility to atherosclerosis, has an essential importance in the response to ambiental factors as diet is.