title: [Evaluation of a nutritional intervention to reduce cholesterol levels in patients with coronary artery disease].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The mainstay of cholesterol reduction therapy is the diet. But the lack of compliance and prescription problems limit its usefulness.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of a nutritional intervention given by a nutritionist with the usual recommendations given by a physician to reduce the LDL cholesterol levels in patients with coronary artery disease, treated at the Regional public hospital in Temuco.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and forty patients with coronary heart disease (last acute episode at least three months before), without nutritional interventions nor cholesterol-lowering drugs, who gave informed consent, were randomized to receive either instructions by their physician or to take part in a nutritional program. The nutritional intervention consisted in five educational sessions, adapted from the NCEP and from a program of the Nutrition Department of the Catholic University of Chile. Patients randomized to the medical intervention received the standard written recommendations about diet. Lipid profile was measured before the intervention and after a three and twelve months follow up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After one year the group on the nutritionalprogram reduced LDL cholesterol by 11.1% (p=0.03). There were no changes in the medical group. However, only 10% patients on the nutritional intervention group and 8% of those with medical recommendations achieved LDL cholesterol levels less than 100 mg/dl. There were no changes in triglycerides, weight or body mass index during the period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although this nutritional intervention proved to be more effective than usual medical instructions, most patients on secondary prevention did not achieve acceptable LDL cholesterol levels.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Interna y CIGES, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Frontera.
authors.forename: Solange
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Yvette
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zegers
authors.forename: Benjamín
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stockins
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bustos
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanhueza
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.forename: Angélica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mackay
authors.forename: Danitza
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rapimán
authors.forename: Rousmery
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Atton
authors.forename: Gigliola
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alberti
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002677:Chile; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000178:diet therapy; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000178:diet therapy*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL