The hypocholesterolemic effects of beta-glucan in oatmeal and oat bran: a dose-controlled study

Article Abstract:

High blood levels of cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) affect one in four adults in the United States and are considered a risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease. Dietary modification to reduce fat intake is the first step in lowering cholesterol levels, but other aspects of the diet are also under investigation for fat-reducing effects. Water-soluble fibers, such as those found in fruits, dried beans, legumes, barley, psyllium and oats, may lower fats and cholesterol in the blood. Oat cereals rich in beta-glucan are a potential dietary therapy for high cholesterol levels. To test how well oatmeal and oat bran lowered cholesterol, 148 adults with elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) completed a study during which they were given either one, two, or three ounces of oatmeal meal or oat bran, or one ounce of farina each day for 12 weeks. Beta-glucan, the water-soluble fiber in oat cereals, lowered cholesterol levels when taken in conjunction with a low-fat diet. Two ounces of oat bran lowered cholesterol better than one ounce, but three ounces did not produce a greater reduction. (This observation may be related to the small size of the study.) Three ounces of oatmeal were needed to reduce cholesterol as much as two ounces of oat bran. Theories about how soluble fiber reduces cholesterol are reviewed. It is also possible that the cholesterol-lowering effect is not related to beta-glucan, but to the effects of a compound with vitamin E activity or the amino acid content of oats, especially the arginine-lysine ratio. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Diet therapy, Hypercholesterolemia, Anticholesteremic agents, Glucans, Oatmeal, Oat bran

---

Efficacy and safety of a new HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, atorvastatin, in patients with hypertriglyceridemia

Article Abstract:

The new HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, atorvastatin, appears to reduce elevated blood levels of triglycerides. Elevated triglyceride levels are associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease. Researchers randomized 55 people with elevated triglycerides into one of four groups: groups that would take 5 milligrams (mg), 20 mg or 80 mg of atorvastatin and a group that would take a placebo. All of the volunteers were on a low-cholesterol diet. After two weeks, atorvastatin had lowered triglyceride levels from 26.5% to 45.8% on average, depending on the dose. Higher doses led to greater reductions. In addition, the drug lowered total cholesterol and LDL and VLDL cholesterol, all of which are risk factors for coronary artery disease when elevated. Ten percent of the people taking the drug experienced an adverse effect, which included headache, pain, diarrhea and flatulence. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors are usually used to reduce elevated cholesterol levels.

Drug therapy, Hyperlipidemia, Enzyme inhibitors, Hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductases

---

The association between local diagnostic testing intensity and invasive cardiac procedures

Article Abstract:

The variation in the use of coronary bypass surgery and angioplasty in different geographic areas may be due to differences in local use of diagnostic tests. Researchers analyzed medical records of Medicare patients in 12 regions of northern New England. The analysis included 22,302 procedures, including stress tests, angiography, bypass surgery, and angioplasty. The local frequency of stress tests was closely related to the frequency of angiography in the different regions. The variation in the frequency of angiography was linked to the variation in bypass and angioplasty. In addition, the frequency of stress tests was also related to the frequency for these invasive procedures that aim to restore blood flow to the heart.

Diagnosis, Surgery, Coronary heart disease, Heart, Diagnosis, Noninvasive, Noninvasive diagnosis, Heart surgery

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Long-term effects of cesarean sections: ectopic pregnancies and placental problems. Mode of delivery and problems in subsequent births: A register-based study from Finland
• Abstracts: Treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis with high doses of synthetic calcitriol: a randomized controlled study
• Abstracts: Emerging delivery systems for estrogen replacement: aspects of transdermal and oral delivery
• Abstracts: The fetus with gastroschisis: impact of route of delivery and prenatal ultrasonography. Isolated fetal pyelectasis and chromosomal abnormalities
• Abstracts: The benefits of larval therapy in wound care. How care in the community has affected older people. Too little too late?

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.