Fibrin elasticity and coagulation

Sudden increase of viscosity in former times indicated the start of coagulation. Yet its measurement destroyed the structure of coagulum. By the precursor method of thrombelastography the author 1944 found elasticity to be the essential physiological property of coagulum. In the production of elastic fibrin structure its early phase is the most efficient in this respect. The speed of prime structure formation is extremely fast in presence of enough phospholipid as well as of plasma factor XIII. Even high amounts of thrombin cannot replace one or both of these substances indispensable to grow rapidly a perfect fibrin web. This phase yet does not become effective if it is not accompanied by the orbital micro-flow of the new orbitometry method. Its shear is comparable to that in a coronary artery. The special resonance effect of the method in combination with the early phase of fibrin production is generating some kind of a physiological feed back: increasing fibrin will strengthen shear stress as long as less platelets are entangled which will reduce the elastic flexibility of fibrin web. Some kind of a "coagulation spin effect" in optimal combination of shear stress, phospholipid and factorXIII, will extremely fast originate a firm fibrin structure, a mechanism which may be of significance for a fast occlusion of arterial stenoses.     

Fats and atheroma: an inquest.

All well-controlled trials of cholesterol-reducing diets and drugs have failed to reduce coronary (CHD) mortality and morbidity. Nevertheless, commercial, professional, and even government-sponsored propaganda continues. Experimentally some vegetable oils and hardened fats can be more damaging to arteries than butter. There are other hazards to heart muscle from vegetable oils. Israelis consume a high polyunsaturated fat diet equal to that recommended for prevention of CHD in USA but their CHD incidence is very high. Urban Bedouins are also affected. The primary clofibrate prevention trial underlines unacceptable risks which could apply also to diets. Official medical endorsement of these cholesterol reducing measures should be withdrawn.     

Fats and atheroma: a retrial.

The controversy over medical endorsement of dietary measures to reduce cholesterol intake has been reconsidered. The results of several published reports that apparently do not confirm the association between diet, cholesterol concentrations, and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) were found to be largely inapplicable to the argument. Results of primary prevention trials, however, suggested that lowering the cholesterol concentration had a beneficial effect in reducing morbidity from IHD. The "average Western diet" is particularly associated with accelerated or premature atherosclerotic disease, yet the saturated fatty acid component of the diet may be only one of several factors relevant to IHD. Such diets are usually high in refined carbohydrate and total energy intake. Disordered nutrition generally, and other environmental and constitutional factors seem to be important in the aetiology of IHD. A prudent diet, incorporating decreased intake of fats, simple sugars, and refined carbohydrate, with polyunsaturated fats comprising less than 25% of total energy intake, may be the best method of reducing the incidence of IHD and other diseases of overnutrition.