Abstract

Atherosclerosis is highly correlated with postprandial lipemia and is characterized by elevated triglyceride levels in blood plasma. In normolipidemic individuals, the postprandial period lasts from 4–6 hours. The length of this period depends on the balance between the absorption of fat from the intestine and the removal of chylomicron remnants by the liver. An increasing amount of data suggests that oxidized dietary lipids may participate actively in the development of atherosclerosis. This working hypothesis is supported by numerous data indicating that oxidized lipids are absorbed from the diet in the same way as intact lipids and that they both participate in the synthesis of chylomicrons. Elevated plasma triglyceride levels may lead to rise in plasma lowdensity lipoproteins (LDL), since chylomicron remnants lower the expression of LDL receptors in the liver. Also the exchange of fatty acids and cholesterol between chylomicrons and LDL as well as high-density lipoproteins (HDL) increases during prolonged lipemia. Increasing interest in preliminary processed and deep-fried food indicates that more attention should be focused on postprandial lipoproteins as a major factor in the development of atherosclerosis, especially as humans are exposed to elevated triglyceride levels for most of their lives.

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