Cholesterol vs Polyunsaturated Fats in Atherosclerosis
Authors: WILLIAM J. PIERCE
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1970)

Letters and Comments1 October 1970Cholesterol vs Polyunsaturated Fats in AtherosclerosisWILLIAM J. PIERCE, M.D., F.A.C.P.WILLIAM J. PIERCE, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-73-4-657_1 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the editor: Although cholesterol certainly enters into the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis (Dayton and associates,Ann Intern Med72:97-109, 1970), I question its etiologic significance. Importance of polyunsaturated fats has long been under review (1). Kingsbury and associates (2) related low levels of linoleic acid in plasma-cholesteryl-esters to occlusive elements of ischemic heart disease and later found this abnormal pattern associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction, irrespective of type or degree of arterial disease, age, plasma cholesterol, or blood sugar concentrations. Horton (3) reviewed the widespread physiological role of prostaglandins. Prostaglandin effect on platelet aggregation seems to answer Dr....References1. BROWNPAGE HI: Critical balance between saturated and unsaturated dietary fat necessary to reduce serum cholesterol levels. Circulation 24:1085, 1961 Google Scholar2. KINGSBURYMORGANSTOVOLD KDR: Polyunsaturated fatty acids and myocardial infarction. Lancet 7634:1325-1329, 1969 CrossrefGoogle Scholar3. HORTON E: Hypothesis on physiological roles of prostaglandins. Physiol Rev 49:129, 1969 CrossrefGoogle Scholar4. THOMASSON H: Prostaglandins and cardiovascular diseases. Nutr Rev 27:67-69, 1969 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. MITCHELLRYNBERGENANDERSON HHL: Cooper's Nutrition in Health and Disease, 15th ed. Philadelphia, J. B. Lippincott Co., 1968, p. 318 Google Scholar6. CRAWFORD M: Fatty-acid ratios in free-living and domestic animals. Possible implications for atheroma. Lancet 1:1329-1333, 1968 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. WHITE P: Coronary heart disease then and now. JAMA 203:798-799, 1968 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. RATCLIFFEYERASIMIDESELLIOTT HTG: Changes in the character and location of arterial lesions in mammals and birds in the Philadelphia Zoological Garden. Circulation 21:730-738, 1960 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. PIERCE W: Hyperlipidemia and Atherosclerosis in Identifying the Coronary-Prone. Bruceville, Ind., Dornic Publishers, 1969, p. 44 Google Scholar10. PANKEYSTADELMAN RW: Effects of dietary fats on some chemical and functional properties of eggs. J Food Sci 34:312, 1969 CrossrefGoogle Scholar11. MILJANICHOSTWALD PR: Fatty acids in newer brands of margarine. J Amer Dietetic Ass 56:29, 1970 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar12. BERFELDHOMBURGERKELLY PFT: Fatty acid contents of margarines and other table fats. Amer J Clin Nutr 11:554-558, 1962 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar13. BEARHEROUXMURRAY JCT: Variation in polyunsaturates of special margarines. Canad Med Ass J 96:1575, 1967 MedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Diagnostic and Cyto Clinic Bruceville, Ind. 47516 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByChapter 16. Atherosclerosis 1 October 1970Volume 73, Issue 4Page: 657-657KeywordsAtherosclerosisBlood sugarCardiovascular therapyCholesterolFatsHeart diseasesMyocardial infarctionPathogenesisPlatelet aggregationProstaglandins Issue Published: 1 October 1970 PDF DownloadLoading ...