These results provide evidence that olive oil might exert beneficial effects on endothelial function as well as markers of inflammation and endothelial function , thus representing a key ingredient contributing to the cardiovascular-protective effects of a Mediterranean diet .
The aim of the present systematic review was to synthesize data from r and omized controlled trials investigating the effects of olive oil on markers of inflammation or endothelial function .
Predictive value of noninvasively determined endothelial dysfunction for long-term cardiovascular events in patients with peripheral vascular disease.
OBJECTIVES The goal of this study was to prospect ively examine the long-term predictive value of brachial-artery endothelial dysfunction for future cardiovascular events . BACKGROUND Brachial-artery endothelial function is impaired in individuals with atherosclerosis and coronary risk factors . The prospect i ve relation between endothelial function determined by brachial-artery ultrasound and long-term cardiovascular risk is unknown . METHODS We examined brachial-artery endothelial function using ultrasound in 199 patients with peripheral arterial disease before elective vascular surgery .  Patients were prospect ively followed with an average follow-up of 1.2 years after surgery . RESULTS Thirty-five patients had an event during follow-up , including cardiac death ( 5 patients ) , myocardial infa rct ion ( 17 patients ) , unstable angina ( 10 patients ) , or stroke ( 3 patients ) . Preoperative endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation ( FMD ) was significantly lower in patients with an event ( 4.4 + /- 2.8 % ) compared with those without an event ( 7.0 + /- 4.9 % , p < 0.001 ) , whereas endothelium-independent vasodilation to nitroglycerin was similar in both groups . In a Cox proportional-hazards model , independent predictors of events included age ( p = 0.003 ) , more invasive surgery ( surgery other than carotid endarterectomy , p = 0.02 ) , and impaired brachial-artery endothelial function ( p = 0.002 ) . Risk was approximately nine-fold higher in patients with FMD < 8.1 % ( lower two tertiles ) compared with those in the upper tertile ( odds ratio 9.5 ; 95 % confidence interval 2.3 to 40 ) . CONCLUSIONS Impaired brachial-artery endothelial function independently predicts long-term cardiovascular events in patients with peripheral arterial disease . The findings suggest that noninvasive assessment of endothelial function using brachial-artery FMD may serve as a surrogate end point for cardiovascular risk
These results provide evidence that olive oil might exert beneficial effects on endothelial function as well as markers of inflammation and endothelial function , thus representing a key ingredient contributing to the cardiovascular-protective effects of a Mediterranean diet .
The aim of the present systematic review was to synthesize data from r and omized controlled trials investigating the effects of olive oil on markers of inflammation or endothelial function .