Oxidation of LDL (lipoproteins low density) and its relationship with the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is the hardening of arteries, one disease common
of the principal blood vessel that it is characterized by fat fringes along artery
walls and reservoir of cholesterol and calcium. Atherosclerosis generally elapses
without symptom during years until the thrombosis occurs which constitutes
the main cause of coronary diseases, brain vascular and arteries peripheral,
promoting, unstable anginas, myocardium infarct and sudden death. The oxidative
hypothesis of the atherogenesis proposed initially by Steinberg in 1989
and the role of micronutrients of diet as antioxidants vitamins in preventing
LDL oxidation has constituted an attractive challenge in the current researches
for their implications in the preventive medicine. In the last years the hypothesis
about the antioxidants that inhibit the LDL oxidation could reduce the incidence
of event coronaries have created new questions, since randomized studies against
placebo have been performed and positive and negative results have been obtained.
Moreover, several studies have been carried out with antioxidant vitamins
in human suggesting that these substances could reduce the incidence of
atherosclerosis and their complications.
However, the results have not
been homogeneous and in some trials
the addition of antioxidant vitamins in
the diet didn’t demonstrate to be beneficial
in any sense. The benefits supplied
for the antioxidant consumption
on the reduction of the risk for suffering
diseases of different etiologies
such as vascular and cancer diseases
didn’t find sustained evidences of the
event prevention studies. Different
arguments try to explain the negative
result obtained in studies that in its
totality achieved in more than 30 000 patients.
On the other hand, isolated references
and their own mode of action
indicate that their utility is certain. To
elucidate this polemic it is necessary
obtaining more evidences to sustain
the benefits of their consume.