Nutritional Considerations in the Management of Dyslipidemia

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in industrialized countries, is a dietary disease. In this review, we summarize the evidence from prospective, observational studies and randomized primary and secondary prevention trials of various diets supporting a role of dietary components in the development of CVD and in lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and cardiovascular events. The role of saturated fat in raising cholesterol and triglyceride is discussed, as well as studies showing that elevated levels of both LDL-C and triglyceride increase the risk of atherosclerosis and that lowering of LDL-C lowers the risk of CVD and its clinical sequelae, including unstable angina, myocardial infarction, and death. Randomized trials of omega-3 fatty acids and the Mediterranean diet and CVD outcomes are reviewed. Classification and causes of various types of hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia are summarized. Finally, guidelines for nutritional management and treatment of these lipid disorders to lower levels of LDL-C and triglyceride and prevent CVD are provided. This review contains 4 figures, 5 tables and 64 references Key words: cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, lipids, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, Mediterranean diet, nutrition, saturated fat, triglyceride