Diets rich in fats may impair endothelial function in both coronary artery disease (CAD) patients and healthy individuals.
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a single high-fat meal on endothelial function in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. Researchers fed 50 CAD patients and 25 healthy subjects with normal plasma cholesterol levels with a single high-fat diet. The plasma triglyceride levels and brachial artery’s flow-mediated vasodilatation were assessed in all the subjects before and after meal.
Researchers observed an increase in serum triglyceride concentrations and impairment of flow-mediated vasodilatation in all the subjects after dietary intervention. The triglyceride-elevating and endothelial-impairment actions of high-fat diets were stronger and more severe in CAD patients than in healthy subjects. The results of this study show that high-fat meals are associated with unhealthy cardiovascular risk profile and endothelial dysfunction in both CAD patients and healthy individuals.