The best diet after a heart attack
Following the Mediterranean diet can help patients recover their endothelial dysfunction after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), according to a new analysis published in Plos Medicine.
The study included more than 800 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). All patients had previously experienced an AMI.
Half of the study’s participants followed a Mediterranean diet high in olive oil, fruit, vegetables, legumes, fish and nuts. The other half followed a more traditional low-fat diet, one that limited both animal- and plant-based fats and included an increase in complex carbohydrates. Each individual was assessed both at the start of the study and one year after the dietary intervention.
Overall, the Mediterranean diet was associated with improved endothelial function, as assessed by flow-mediated dilation (FMD), compared to the traditional low-fat diet. The Mediterranean diet was also associated with higher HDL cholesterol levels. Reviewing the data, the authors wrote that the Mediterranean diet “could be recommended as the best dietary strategy to recover endothelial dysfunction in patients with CHD.”
“The degree of endothelial damage predicts the occurrence of future cardiovascular events, as in acute myocardial infarctions,” wrote corresponding author José López Miranda, of the University of Cordoba in Spain, and colleagues. “If we can take action at the initial stages, prompting endothelium regeneration and better endothelial function, we can help to prevent heart attacks and heart disease from reoccurring.”
The team’s full findings are available here.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.