Erythrocyte membrane fatty acids in ischemic heart disease

The erythrocyte ghosts fatty acid composition of 27 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and 6 healthy people were investigated. Patients suffering from CAD were divided in two groups. The first group was matched by 18 patients with CAD and essential hypertension (EH) and 9 patients with CAD without EH. Significant decrease of the levels of some saturated fatty acids such as palmitic, stearic and begenic acids in the erythrocyte ghosts of the patients with CAD without EH was established among the major changes of the erythrocyte ghosts fatty acid composition. At the same time the amount, of arachidonic acid increased by 74% and docosahexaenoic acid--by 5.7 times. The content of miristic, palmitic and stearic acids was also diminished in patients with CAD and EH. The percent of arachidonic acid was elevated by 51% and docosatrienic acid--by 94%. It is notable that the quantity of docosahexaenoic acid did not change markedly if copmare to healthy people but was fallen for 5 times if compare to patients with CAD without EH. It was suggested that the lack of adaptive changes in erythrocyte ghosts omega-3 fatty acids of patients with CAD and EH was an important factor which could rise the risk of heart attack development.