[Evaluation of a nutritional intervention to reduce cholesterol levels in patients with coronary artery disease].
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.
Martínez
Solange
S
Departamento de Medicina Interna y CIGES, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Frontera.
Zegers
Yvette
Y
Stockins
Benjamín
B
Bustos
Luis
L
Sanhueza
Antonio
A
Rivera
Adriana
A
Soto
Lidia
L
Mackay
Angélica
A
Vega
Danitza
D
Rapimán
Pablo
P
Atton
Rousmery
R
Alberti
Gigliola
G
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
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL